ROMA – The “Munich Iaa Mobility 2021” show, scheduled from 7 to 12 September next, will unveil the first model of the future generation of Smart vehicles. The anticipation came from Daniel Lescow, global vice president of sales, marketing and after-sales of Smart Automobile Co Ltd (the new Chinese-German company born from the joint venture between Mercedes Benz and the Chinese group Geely) during a conference that was held carried out on the sidelines of Auto China 2021 in Shanghai. During the “Car Symposium China Digital”, Lescow together with Xiangbei Tong, CEO of Smart Automobile Co Ltd, anticipated that “the first new generation Smart model will be a compact premium SUV, 100% electric, with great interior space”, car that will make its debut in China and Europe in the second half of next year. This compact electric SUV, as well as the next other models of the Smart range, Tong specified, will be made in China and will be based on the Sea platform that Geely has developed ad hoc for its electric models and for those of the brands that are part of the Group. , Including Volvo. According to the house, this architecture is extremely flexible and allows adaptations with one, two or three electric motors and with wheelbases between 1,800 and 2,500 millimeters, thus adapting to all the most popular segments. And just to give an example, in the programs of the Chinese giant there could be the use of the Sea electric platform for Volvo’s brand new compact XC20 model.
Another confirmation of the flexibility of the Sea architecture came from the CEO of Smart Automobile Co Ltd who underlined how it was designed to allow the full use of autonomous driving technologies, artificial intelligence and connection also with the Cloud. “For the new Smart, we will also pay great attention to cybersecurity problems – explained Tong – because taking care of customers and their needs today and in the future cannot fail to also concern data and networks”. It should also be noted that during the event Lescow also anticipated some elements of the commercial structure of the “new” Smart: “It will be a customer-centered company, innovative in its processes, with digital selection and personalization procedures and direct sales both in China and in Europe “. Adding that a new commercial company has already been set up in Europe, Lescow specified that one of the key moments in Smart’s relationship with its customers will be delivery: “What we will offer will be a unique, unforgettable premium delivery experience”. The format used by the new company could follow the strategy put in place by Geely for one of its brands, Lynx & Co, for which there are no physical sales dealerships but the participation of customers in exclusive initiatives through which it is possible to purchase or rent the various models. (mr)
.