Daimler's Smart to build new SUV with Geely’s SEA platform

Previously, we reported that Geely Holding and Mercedes-Benz AG has successfully set up a new joint venture company for the Smart brand. Now, Smart Automobile Co. Ltd is ready to launch their first car and it has been announced that the car will be an SUV.

The announcement came from Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing, and After-Sales, Daniel Lescow’s Linkedin account.

Lescow shared that the brand’s first SUV “will be a true smart SUV that embodies all we believe in – progressive design, innovation, high-tech and, of course, battery-electric driving. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this vehicle.

“It will be exceptional – instantly recognisable as smart, ultra-modern, sophisticated and advanced in connectivity solutions. Most importantly, it will possess the “smartest” of all features – super compact on the outside and big on the inside”.

This isn’t the first time that the Smart brand has plans to build an SUV. Back in 2005, the company had plans for an SUV known as the Formore, but the project was abandoned due to higher-than-expected costs.

What’s most surprising about this announcement that the new SUV will be built on Geely’s Scalable Electric Architecture (SEA) platform.

Previously when the company set up shop, it was believed that Smart will be building their own platform as the first step into their Electric Vehicle (EV) future.

Back when Smart Automobiles was set up, the company did not clarify if they will be discontinuing their current range of Smart ForTwo and Smart ForFour, now it seems that the company will continue on with the traditional models. Word is that they will be introducing a successor for both models as well.

If all goes to plan, expect the new Smart SUV to arrive by 2022 while updates to the Smart ForTwo and Smart ForFour to follow.