Two battery sizes and five off road modes for NZ-bound crossover.

ADDITIONAL insight into the potential configuration of the prime number in the Smart family of electric cars has been shared.

Smart has set up initially with a compact crossover and a more stylish, slightly longer and wider, crossover coupe called the #1 and #3 - that’s ‘hashtag one’ and ‘hashtag three.’

However the larger and equally premium-themed #5 still en route is potentially more vital; in addition to being a bigger choice, it also differentiates by being a sports utility with an off-road character.

When the types were internationally revealed in Australia last August, Smart said the ‘Five’ would come with a 100kWh battery that is claimed to be good 548 kilometres of range and, thanks to an 800V electrical architecture, would charge from 10-80 percent in just 15 minutes.

Power figures weren’t released then, but the make offered a 475kW dual-motor model using the Brabus nameplate was brewing.

Now comes announcement of the car as it is intended to configure for its primary right-hand-drive market.

While New Zealand choice might not exactly emulate what will hit the United Kingdom from the last quarter of this year, chances are there will be similarities.

The entry-level model over there, the smart #5 Pro, comes equipped with a 76 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP), and offers advanced comfort features, a panoramic halo roof, connectivity, and driver assistance systems. No range or performance figures are shared.

From the Smart #5 Pro+ onwards, all models are powered by a 100kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide battery (NCM) and built on the 800-volt platform, delivering a range of up to 589 kilometres (WLTP) and fast charging capabilities.

Within that selection is a Smart #5 Pulse with an intelligent dual-motor all-wheel drive, an extra-wide dual OLED central display, and an energy-efficient heat pump.

Topping selection is the ‘designed for adventure’ Summit Edition, with outdoor-orientated features and integrated equipment for off-road driving. Conceivably, then, a foil for the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X

Adaptive, Sand, Snow, Mud, and Rock off-road driving modes - which also carry to the Pulse line - allow the all-paw Smart types to adjust to different surfaces. In both variants, acceleration from 0-100kmh achieves in 4.9 seconds, which “underscores the vehicle’s dynamic potential.”

The Summit Edition also stands out from the Pulse in having an electric trailer hitch as well as a roof platform and side ladder. It also achieves “a unique colour combination further emphasises its distinctive character.”

No outputs have been shared for the NCM battery models but Smart says these deliver up to 400kW DC charging power and allow charging from 10-80 percent in just 18 minutes under optimal conditions.

Additionally, a Vehicle-to-Load power outlet with 230V integrated into the charging port allows users to charge electronic devices on the go.

With this setup, the brand says, the Smart #5 “serves as an ideal travel companion for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike.”

The #5 has a wheelbase of 2900mm and an overall length of 4695mm and the type delivers with 34 compartments, a 72-litre illuminated frunk, and rear cargo capacity of up to 1530 litres. Seats can be adjusted to transform the cockpit into what is promised to be a “comfortable resting and sleeping area.”

UK pricing is not yet shared and would unlikely to give too much of a barometer for NZ anyway.

The #1 and #3 comes out in rear-wheel drive and 200kW Pro Plus and Premium trims, the models in those trims respectively costing $64,990 and $69,990 and $69,990 and $74,990. There are 315kW Brabus performance editions at $79,990 and $84,990.

The latest Smart products cars are a world away from the original fare that came out in the late 1990s, when Smart was known for a tiny city car co-developed between Mercedes Benz and Swiss watchmaker Swatch.

The partnership was hidden in the name - Smart is an acronym for Swatch, Mercedes, and ART. That tie up is now defunct; today corporate ownership is shared between Mercedes-Benz and Chinese automaker Geely, with production moving to China and the products now entirely electric small SUVs.

Smart cars are represented by Armstrong Group and will be sold alongside Mercedes models in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.