Smart has taken a much bigger swing at Australia’s electric-car market. The Mercedes-Benz and Geely-backed brand has launched the Smart #5, a mid-size electric SUV starting at A$58,900 before on-road costs and offering as much as 590 kilometres of claimed WLTP range.
The numbers immediately put the #5 into serious family-SUV territory. Its 100-kWh battery, 800-volt electrical architecture and ability to charge from 10% to 80% in less than 18 minutes place charging performance near the centre of its pitch. There is also a 475-kW Brabus flagship for buyers wanting substantially more performance. Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in November 2026, giving Smart a larger and more practical product just as battery-electric vehicles are taking a much bigger share of Australian new-car sales.
A$58,900 Moves Smart Into the Mainstream EV-SUV Fight
The Smart #5 Pro+ opens at A$58,900 before on-road costs, while the better-equipped Premium+ is priced at A$63,900. The performance-focused Brabus sits at A$73,900 before on-road costs. That three-model structure gives Smart considerable separation between the everyday rear-wheel-drive versions and the much quicker dual-motor flagship. Australian customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in November 2026 through distributor LSH Auto Australia.
That starting price matters because Smart is no longer competing only in the niche occupied by fashionable small EVs. The #5 is entering a mid-size electric-SUV market populated by models including the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr 7X and other increasingly capable newcomers. BYD, for example, is currently advertising the Sealion 7 Premium from A$54,990 drive-away under a limited promotion. Smart therefore cannot rely on its badge or premium positioning alone; range, charging performance, space and equipment all have to help justify the difference when shoppers begin comparing vehicles side by side.
The 590-Kilometre Range Comes From a Much Bigger Battery
Both rear-wheel-drive versions use a 100-kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, with Australian specification reporting listing approximately 94 kWh of usable capacity. Smart claims a WLTP combined range of 590 kilometres for these models, along with energy consumption of 18.4 kWh per 100 kilometres. Their single rear motor develops 267 kW and 373 Nm, enough for a claimed 0–100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds despite a kerb weight of roughly 2.26 tonnes.
A 590-kilometre laboratory figure does not mean every owner will cover exactly that distance between charges. Highway speed, temperature, elevation, wheel choice, climate-control use and driving style can all change real-world consumption. Still, the figure is significant for trip planning because the #5 is no longer designed primarily around short urban journeys. Its battery capacity and range put Melbourne-to-Canberra-type distances within the realm of a journey requiring relatively little charging downtime, rather than the frequent stops traditionally associated with earlier long-distance EV travel.
The 800-Volt Charging System Is the Technical Headliner
The headline charging number is arguably more interesting than the range. Every Australian Smart #5 uses an 800-volt electrical architecture, and Smart says the 100-kWh battery can accept DC charging at up to 400 kW. Under suitable conditions, charging from 10% to 80% takes less than 18 minutes. That represents roughly the amount of battery capacity many motorists would use during a major highway leg, making a well-timed charging stop potentially closer to a coffee break than a lengthy roadside wait.
There is an important practical qualification. Reaching the advertised time requires a compatible high-output charger and favourable battery conditions. Australia’s public network contains chargers with widely varying outputs. Chargefox says equipment on its platform ranges from lower-power units to DC chargers reaching roughly 360 kW, while Evie Networks lists Kempower hardware capable of delivering as much as 400 kW depending on demand and site conditions. The #5 therefore has unusually high charging capability, but the infrastructure available at a particular stop will often determine how much of it can actually be used.
The Brabus Version Trades Range for 475 kW of Performance
Smart has also made sure its largest vehicle can still deliver the unexpectedly quick acceleration associated with its recent Brabus models. The #5 Brabus uses two motors and all-wheel drive, producing a combined 475 kW and 710 Nm. Smart claims it can reach 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. For context, that is sports-car acceleration from a five-seat SUV weighing about 2,378 kilograms, and it represents a striking departure from the tiny city cars that originally established the Smart name.
Performance comes with some compromises. The Brabus retains the 100-kWh battery and 400-kW maximum DC charging capability, but its claimed WLTP range falls to 540 kilometres and rated consumption rises to 19.9 kWh per 100 kilometres. The model also receives 21-inch wheels, Brabus-specific styling, red brake calipers and additional driving modes. Buyers less interested in straight-line speed still receive 267 kW in the rear-drive models, meaning even the A$58,900 version is far from being positioned as an entry-level low-output EV.
This Is the Biggest Smart Yet — by a Considerable Margin
Anyone remembering the original two-seat Smart city car may need a moment to adjust to the #5. The new SUV measures about 4,695 mm long, 1,920 mm wide and 1,705 mm tall, with a substantial 2,900-mm wheelbase. Australian specifications list 630 litres of luggage capacity with the rear seats in place and as much as 1,530 litres when they are folded. Smart also says its wheels-at-the-corners layout helps it achieve an 85% cabin-space utilisation rate.
That transforms the brand’s proposition. Instead of being mainly an urban runabout, the #5 has room for school bags, luggage and the equipment associated with longer weekends away. The seats can be folded to create a flatter interior arrangement, while vehicle-to-load functionality allows energy stored in the traction battery to power compatible external equipment. A braked towing capacity of 1,600 kg further broadens its usefulness. These features help explain why Smart describes the #5 as its most spacious and versatile vehicle rather than simply a stretched version of the smaller #1 or #3.
Mercedes Design Meets Geely-Backed EV Engineering
The unusual corporate structure behind the #5 is central to understanding the vehicle. Smart Automobile is a 50:50 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely. The modern Smart generation uses design work from Mercedes-Benz’s global design network while drawing on China-based research, development, manufacturing and supply-chain resources connected with Geely. That combination has transformed Smart from a European city-car specialist into a broader electric-only brand with SUVs competing across much larger vehicle classes.
Inside the #5, the premium ambition becomes obvious. The standard equipment list includes a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, a 13-inch central infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats, wireless phone charging and extensive ambient lighting. Higher specifications add features including a separate 13-inch OLED passenger display, an augmented-reality head-up display, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a 20-speaker Sennheiser audio system. It is a technology-heavy cabin, but one intended to function as a genuine family space rather than merely a showcase for screens.
Safety Is Already a Major Part of the #5’s International Record
The Smart #5 had not received an ANCAP rating at the time of its Australian launch, but its European testing record is substantial. Euro NCAP gave the #5 five stars in 2025 and later named it the organisation’s Best in Class Large SUV for that year. Its detailed scores were 88% for adult-occupant protection, 93% for child-occupant protection, 84% for vulnerable road-user protection and 92% for safety-assist technology.
Australian specifications include seven airbags along with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, emergency lane support, front and rear cross-traffic alerts and safe-exit warning. Euro NCAP found the passenger compartment remained stable during its frontal offset test and awarded maximum points for protection of critical body areas in the side-barrier test. An eventual ANCAP assessment remains relevant for local buyers, but the European results give the #5 an established independent safety record before Australian deliveries begin.
Ownership Support Is More Conventional Than the Technology
Advanced charging hardware is only part of the ownership equation, particularly for a brand still rebuilding recognition in Australia. Smart currently backs its vehicles locally with a five-year or 150,000-kilometre vehicle warranty, whichever occurs first. The high-voltage battery receives coverage for eight years or 150,000 kilometres, with Smart specifying a 70% state-of-health threshold. High-voltage components including the electric motor, controller and vehicle-control unit receive similar eight-year or 150,000-kilometre coverage.
Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000 kilometres. Smart’s present Australian physical footprint is relatively concentrated: its website lists retail locations in Alexandria in Sydney, South Melbourne and Newstead in Brisbane. That makes dealer and service accessibility an important practical consideration for customers living far from those metropolitan centres. The distributor, LSH Auto Australia, already operates a substantial premium-vehicle retail and after-sales business, but Smart remains a much smaller local brand than many of the manufacturers it will compete against.
The #5 Arrives as Australian EV Demand Accelerates
Smart could hardly have chosen a more active moment to enter the mid-size electric-SUV contest. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 24.9% of Australian new-vehicle sales in August 2026, according to Electric Vehicle Council data, while battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles together captured 36%. The Tesla Model Y recorded 6,414 August deliveries and became the country’s best-selling vehicle for the month, while the BYD Sealion 7 recorded 2,213. Geely’s EX5 and the Zeekr 7X also appeared among the month’s leading models.
Those figures show why the #5 matters beyond Smart itself. Australian EV buyers increasingly have alternatives covering different prices, ranges, charging speeds and ownership models. Against that backdrop, the Smart #5 arrives with an unusually strong technical combination: up to 590 kilometres of WLTP range, 400-kW DC charging capability, a 100-kWh battery and a A$58,900 starting price. Whether those numbers convert into significant sales will depend on real-world efficiency, charging performance, retail reach and how convincingly Smart can establish itself among much higher-volume competitors.
