Smart EQ ForFour Production Ends To Make Room For Future Growth

A sad day for Smart fans.

By: Chris Okula

Jan 2, 2022 at 12:13pm ET

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Things are changing a Smart as it looks towards a future joint venture with Geely. To kick off the start of this unique partnership Smart is cutting down its already small product portfolio by ending production of the Smart EQ ForFour. The Smart EQ ForTwo will remain in production but we expect big things to come from this interesting brand in the near future. For now, let’s remember the unique Smart EQ ForFour.

In today’s climate, it's shocking to hear that any brand would stop the production of an affordable EV, but the Smart EQ ForFour wasn’t long for this world. The Smart EQ ForFour was a capable city car that added space and practicality over the Smart EQ ForTwo. With a range of 78 miles and 80 horsepower (60 Kilowatts) of power, the Smart EQ ForFour was a practical little EV that could charge up in only 40 minutes under the correct conditions. This is all thanks to a relatively small 17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. This is especially interesting when you compare its battery size with a Tesla Model S Plaid that has a 99kWh battery.

If you’re not familiar with Geely, then maybe you know about its recent successes. Geely is a Chinese multinational automotive company headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. They recently had massive success with the reinvention of Volvo where they funded and lead the Volvo brand to new heights. Geely recently acquired Lotus and we’ve already seen a huge amount of success thanks to Geely’s funding. The success of Geely’s acquisitions lies in its management style. They essentially let the brands run themselves while providing a huge amount of funding.

When it comes to Smart, Geely has a lot of work to do. Both Mercedes-Benz and Geely plan to reinvent the brand and create compelling EVs for consumers looking for affordable vehicles. Smart is working on a small EV SUV as the first model in its new portfolio of products.

Source: electrive.com