The small car will be manufactured in the future, more cost-effective. For this, Daimler gets its major Chinese shareholder Geely. The battery-powered car to be built in a new factory.
Design of Mercedes and the development of Geely: Daimler in the future, the production of small Smart brand cars. A Joint Venture will be established between Daimler and its Chinese shareholder Geely, the two companies each hold half of the shares.
Starting in 2022, the joint venture will bring a new fully electric Smart models on the market. The current Smart-production in France and Slovenia runs with the end of the current model generation. In Hambach, France, will be converted to the production of the models of the new Daimler-electro-brand EQ.
The Smart will be exclusively manufactured in a new factory in China. As a result, the battery-powered city car can be built cheaper, especially since Geely, the leading E-car manufacturer in China.
Li Shufu, and Dieter Zetsche at the signing of the contract
With Geely Smart could break up the world to new growth, said Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche. “For it is not only in the middle Kingdom we see for our smallest vehicle is still a huge opportunity.”
Li Shufu, the main owner of the Chinese car manufacturer Geely, added: “We have the greatest respect for the Smart. Smart offers a unique attractiveness and a strong brand value”. The Chinese Billionaire was joined in the last year, surprisingly, as a major shareholder, with nearly ten percent of Daimler.
bag/mak (rtr, afp)