Smart

Smart’s ForTwo successor could be built in Europe

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Dirk Adelmann, 47, who joined Mercedes Benz in 2002, dedicating a significant portion of his career to executive management positions both in Germany and overseas, in June 2020 was appointed Smart Europe CEO. (SMART)
Last Updated
November 11, 2024 05:00 AM

Smart was once a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, but since 2019 it has been a 50-50 joint venture between Mercedes and China’s Geely Group. The ownership change came with the decision that Smart would become an electric-only brand and its lineup, which includes the #1 small crossover, #3 compact crossover and #5 midsize SUV, would all use Geely’s SEA architecture and be made in China. The EU’s decision to increase tariffs on China-made EVs sold in Europe has increased the duty Smart pays on EVs sold in the EU to nearly 30 percent from 10 percent.

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