window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/22557728108/my_article_breadcrumb_above_pc', [ 728, 90 ], 'div-gpt-ad-1685524554756-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1685524554756-0'); });

Proton’s new cousin, Smart, is building new all-electric architecture

Jerrica · Jul 29, 2020 05:30 PM

Proton’s new cousin, Smart, is building new all-electric architecture 01

The Smart brand will soon be different from what we used to know it! Now that the new joint venture company has been set up, Geely Holding and Mercedes-Benz AG have plans to turn the microcar brand into a car company with a focus on electric vehicles come 2022.

In case you missed it, Geely, the company that also holds a stake in Proton, bought over a 50 percent stake in the German microcar maker in March 2019.

Proton’s new cousin, Smart, is building new all-electric architecture 02

window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/22557728108/my_article_fourthp_under_pc', [ 728, 90 ], 'div-gpt-ad-1685525140735-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1685525140735-0'); });

The joint venture is now formally registered as Smart Automobile Co. Ltd in Hangzhou Bay, Ningbo, China. They have also established Smart Europe GmBH, also known as Smart Europe, as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

But the big news is that Smart will open a new chapter to become a car company that focusses on electric vehicles (EV). The new all-electric vehicle architecture that the venture is currently working on will become the foundation for Smart to enter the premium B-segment range.

Proton’s new cousin, Smart, is building new all-electric architecture 01

As we have mentioned, the first car to ride on this new architecture is expected to make its global debut by 2022.

At the moment Smart Europe is still setting up shop in Stuttgart and preparing to manage the sales, marketing, and after-sales for the next generation of Smart vehicles and products in the European market.

Proton’s new cousin, Smart, is building new all-electric architecture 02

No word on whether the beloved Smart ForTwo and ForFour would be discontinued under the new joint-venture, but we do wonder if the new EV tech will trickle down to Proton cars. Full electric Proton Iriz or even Proton X70 anyone?

Jerrica

Writer

There isn’t a time in memory that doesn’t involve staring at cars. After discovering the excitement of watching Schumacher vs Hakkinen, Formula 1 became a major part of life. The love for cars and F1 ultimately led to a job with CAR Magazine. The untimely death of the magazine meant a hiatus from cars at lifestyle women’s magazine Marie Claire before another opportunity came knocking again.

window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/22557728108/my_article_relatedmodel_above_pc', [ 728, 90 ], 'div-gpt-ad-1685525247138-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1685525247138-0'); });
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-a-2x2-stream', container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });

Market fair trade-in price

2022 Honda City Hatchback 1.5 S

Upgrade

Add your car

Not trading-in?   Sell your car