Why Has the smart Car Been Discontinued?

[JoelLee]

Because smart will transition into an intelligent pure electric brand in the future, it has discontinued its fuel-powered vehicles. Below is relevant information about smart cars: 1. Introduction to smart cars: smart is a microcar jointly manufactured by German Mercedes-Benz and Swiss SWATCH, currently under the Daimler Group. The 'S' stands for Swatch, 'M' for the Daimler Group, and 'art' represents art in English, symbolizing the perfect artistic combination of Swatch and Mercedes. 2. Positioning of smart cars: As a micro commuting tool designed for urban dwellers, smart breaks away from the heavy and steady feel of conventional sedans, presenting itself to consumers with a lively and sporty image.

[LeDawson]

I've looked into this before. The discontinuation of smart was mainly due to a major brand transformation. After Mercedes-Benz partnered with Geely, they decided to go fully electric, directly halting production of the older gasoline models. The smart cars you see on the streets now are all the new electric smart #1 series. Actually, from a sales perspective, it makes perfect sense. The previous gasoline-powered smart cars had limited space, high prices, and costly maintenance, leading to fewer buyers over time. Additionally, with increasingly strict emission regulations in Europe, the survival space for small-displacement gasoline cars has been shrinking. Last time I was at the dealership, the salesperson mentioned that even ordering parts for the old models has become difficult, as the manufacturer has shifted all resources to electric vehicle R&D. The future urban commuter market is undoubtedly electric, so this transformation is really just following the trend.

[DelLuna]

Regarding the discontinuation of smart, I believe it's closely related to macro policy trends. In recent years, China's dual-credit policy has been strictly enforced, and Europe's emission standards have also upgraded to Euro 7. A friend of mine working in an automaker mentioned that producing the fuel-powered smart would require a 30% cost increase just to meet emission standards, making it completely unprofitable. Now that Geely and Mercedes-Benz have partnered to focus on the SEA pure electric platform, their newly launched EVs can benefit from new energy subsidies and green license plate policies. When I saw the new smart concept at last year's Shanghai Auto Show, the salesperson revealed that all old production lines had been converted to manufacture electric vehicles. The government is also accelerating charging infrastructure construction – all these factors are pushing manufacturers to phase out their fuel vehicle operations. Actually, other brands like MINI are following the same path, which seems to be an industry-wide trend.

[OKimberly]

As an owner of the older Smart model, I find its discontinuation quite regrettable but understandable. My two-seater version served me for seven years, with its biggest issues being practicality and cost. The compact body meant limited aftermarket parts availability—replacing a bumper required waiting half a month for imported components. Once, the AC compressor failed, and the repair cost equated to three months' worth of fuel expenses. The new electric version is entirely different; leveraging Geely's supply chain has halved part costs. The manufacturer now focuses on four-door electric models, offering 30% more space than the old version, over 500 km of range, and even features like heated steering wheels. The official app no longer sells the old models, and during last year's maintenance, a technician mentioned that factory molds were destroyed to fully pave the way for the new lineup.

[CaydenFitz]

The core issue is that the business model became unsustainable. The previous smart models were priced at over 200,000 yuan, yet their size was similar to the Wuling Hongguang MINI. According to industry data I checked, last year's monthly sales of fuel-powered smart models dropped below 100 units, with the production line operating at a loss. After transitioning to electrification, costs have actually decreased—using Geely's batteries and motors saves on transmission R&D expenses, allowing the starting price to drop directly to 190,000 yuan. Once, while at a charging station, I chatted with a smart engineer who mentioned that the profit margin for the old models was less than 5%, while the new models can reach 18%. After discontinuing the old models, the manufacturer concentrated production capacity on electric vehicles, with European orders alone backlogged until next year.

[MacKevin]

There are two major driving forces behind this: brand strategy adjustment and changes in market demand. After the joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, they announced that smart would become a pure electric brand, as keeping the old models in production would dilute the brand image. I observed that with the addition of L2 assisted driving and smart cabins in the new electric models, the proportion of young car owners is three times higher than that of the fuel-powered versions. Data released at last year's dealer conference showed that 85% of potential smart customers prefer electric vehicles. The manufacturer took the opportunity to convert the fuel vehicle production line into a dedicated electric vehicle factory, even reassigning the engine R&D team to work on electric control systems. Now, the fuel vehicle pages have been completely removed from the official website, fully focusing on the electrification route.