BYD appears to be exploring the revival of the ultra-compact city car, just as Smart brings back its iconic two-seater.

A newly published Chinese design patent reveals a remarkably small, two-door vehicle with a surprising European connection: Wolfgang Egger, the German designer behind the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and former Audi design chief.

Could BYD be preparing a Chinese answer to the Smart Fortwo? Images published by China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) reveal a tiny, rounded city car bearing little resemblance to anything currently in BYD’s showrooms.

With just two doors, extremely short overhangs and wheels pushed towards the corners, it looks like a potential rival to the new electric Smart #2.

The patent was filed on 18 December 2025 and published on 10 November 2026. It identifies five designers, including BYD’s global design director Wolfgang Egger and Zhao Binggen, head of the company’s Dynasty Research Institute.

The design features a closed front, horizontal lighting elements and an almost symmetrical front and rear, giving the car a friendly, smiling appearance. Its proportions suggest a vehicle conceived primarily for crowded urban environments.

However, the filing reveals neither dimensions nor seating capacity, battery specifications or powertrain details. Even the assumption that it is fully electric remains unconfirmed, although that would be the logical choice for BYD.

From Alfa Romeo to BYD

Wolfgang Egger’s involvement makes this little car particularly intriguing. The German designer has an impressive European pedigree, having started at Alfa Romeo in 1989, then joined SEAT, and returned to Alfa as chief designer in 2001.

There, he oversaw several acclaimed projects, most notably the spectacular Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, first presented as a concept in 2003. In 2007, he moved to Audi, eventually taking responsibility for design across the Audi Group, including Lamborghini and SEAT.

After subsequent appointments at Italdesign and Volkswagen Group, Egger joined BYD in 2017. He helped transform the Chinese manufacturer’s visual identity, introducing the distinctive Dragon Face and Ocean Aesthetics design philosophies.

Under his leadership, BYD’s international design organization has grown from around 100 specialists to more than 1,000. His name on the new patent suggests that the microcar is being explored within BYD’s central design organization, although it does not mean he personally drew every line.

The contrast could hardly be greater: from the sculptural Alfa Romeo 8C and Audi R8 sports cars to an almost toy-like urban runabout.

Smart has already returned

The timing is remarkable. Only last month, Smart unveiled the production #2 at the Paris Motor Show, reviving the original Fortwo concept after concentrating on considerably larger vehicles.

Developed by the Mercedes-Benz and Geely joint venture, the electric two-seater measures just 2.75 meters and promises up to 290 kilometers of WLTP range. European prices are expected to start around €20,000.

If BYD decides to manufacture its patented design, it could challenge Smart with a substantially cheaper alternative, benefiting from its own battery technology, vertical integration and economies of scale.

A price closer to €15,000 would make such a vehicle particularly interesting for European city dwellers, although this remains speculation rather than an announced BYD target.

European ambitions?

BYD already has experience with tiny electric vehicles. In July, it launched the Racco, a purpose-built electric kei car for the Japanese market. Unlike the new patent, the Racco has a more conventional, boxy silhouette designed to maximize interior space.

BYD is also considering transferring technology developed for the Racco to future compact electric models for Europe. Its X-PACK architecture integrates electrical components into the battery pack, potentially freeing up valuable cabin space. Such packaging technology could be especially useful in a two-seat city car, although there is no evidence that the patented model uses it.

European production could further improve the business case. BYD is establishing its Hungarian factory in Szeged, initially for larger models such as the Dolphin Surf. Manufacturing a future microcar locally would also avoid the additional EU duties imposed on Chinese-built battery-electric cars.

For now, however, there is no indication that the two-door design has received production approval, let alone that Europe is its intended destination.

Design patents frequently protect ideas that never reach showrooms. Nevertheless, the combination of Egger’s involvement, BYD’s expanding small-EV strategy and Smart’s return to the two-seater market makes this particular filing worth watching.