smart set to open new frontiers in 2026

Premium electric vehicle brand smart is kicking off 2026 with a "Year of Opening New Frontiers", anchored by new market entry initiatives, upgraded smartcare customer services and the rollout of two strategic new models.

Tong Xiangbei, CEO of smart, said: "In the complex and highly competitive automotive landscape, sustainable growth is built on strong foundations and a clear strategy. In 2025, we leveraged our agile operations and distinct brand and products to establish our presence in important new markets.

"This year, we accelerate on all fronts: combining bold new products with operational and technological excellence to expand our customer base and power our next phase of growth," Tong added.

The automaker now operates in 39 markets worldwide, having launched cars in 10 new markets in 2025.

It expanded its global retail network by 25 percent to 688 outlets worldwide in the past year. Growth was marked by a 130 percent surge to 72 outlets across new markets in Southeast Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and Latin America. Also, there was a 43 percent increase to 294 outlets in China.

This scaling is underpinned by a commitment to pairing growth with substance, embodied in the brand's smartcare customer services. Anchored in the "at ease with smart" principle, smartcare ensures a consistent, premium customer experience worldwide and has been boosted by artificial intelligence tools, which shortened customer inquiry response times by 40 percent in 2025.

Backed by shareholders Mercedes-Benz and Geely, and bolstered by financing milestones achieved ahead of schedule, smart will accelerate its global ambitions in 2026.

The arrival of the #2 city car and#6 hybrid sedan will open new frontiers for the brand, as it broadens its portfolio and steps into new product segments. The highly anticipated smart #2 will have its global premiere in Europe in late 2026. The all-new two-seater will be built on smart's self-developed ECA architecture, marking a leap in the brand's engineering capabilities.

The brand will also launch its first premium fastback sedan, the smart#6 EHD, by the middle of the year. Exclusively for the Chinese market, it offers executive-level spaciousness and sleek Mercedes-Benz design with an extended electric range and top-tier intelligence.

The brand's combination of mindful technology and contemporary premium design has resonated, an appeal validated by awards in new markets.

The smart #5 SUV was recently named Car of the Year 2026 in Norway by leading local media outlets Dagbladet, DinSide and Elbil24. Meanwhile, the smart #3 BRABUS won the 2025 Performance Electric SUV of the Year award from Singaporean car platform sgCarMart, and secured a spot on Australia's Hot 25 Cars of the Year list compiled by media outlet The Australian.

Notably, smart is the only automaker with an entire model lineup that has earned a Red Dot Design Award. This universal recognition for design is matched by comprehensive safety performance, with every model achieving a five-star Euro NCAP rating — a testament to the integration of Mercedes-Benz's design vision and the innovation of smart's global R&D team. Furthermore, the smart #5 has been named Safest Large SUV of 2025 with the Euro NCAP "Best in Class" award recently.

Across the portfolio, smart continues to sharpen its edge through BRABUS performance editions and exclusive models such as the smart#3 Keith Haring Edition and the smart #1 Year of the Horse Lucky Edition. With the launch of the #5 EHD in China, smart introduced its sophisticated plug-in hybrid technology to meet customer needs.

Guided by its "open your mind" philosophy, smart expanded globally in 2025 through initiatives and partnerships with Disney, Trek, Peet's Coffee, German football club FC St. Pauli, and the Keith Haring Foundation, positioning itself at the crossroads of premium mobility, technology and culture.

Mandy Zhang, CMO of smart, said that the company is built on the openness of ideas, cultures and collaboration.

"As we move into the 'Year of Opening New Frontiers', we will continue co-creating with partners, customers and fans worldwide, shaping a mobility culture that is expressive, inclusive and distinctly smart," she said.