Who Makes Smart Cars?

by George Kennedy

Smart is a brand known for its extremely small, but highly efficient micro-cars. It is a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz (its original owner) and Geely, a Chinese automaker. Its vehicles are among the smallest in the world and are designed as urban runabouts. New Smart cars are no longer sold in the U.S. market.

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Who Makes Smart Cars?

Though the concept of a Daimler-built city car dates back to a 1970s concept, Smart was not actually founded until 1994. It was joint venture between Daimler and Swatch (the watch company). The name is a combination of “Swatch Mercedes ART.” Its first product was the City-Coupe, which was released in 1998, followed by a number of variants and evolutions through the years. In 2011, it released the all-electric Fortwo EV and in 2019, it became a completely electric brand as a joint-venture between Mercedes-Benz (a division of Daimler) and Geely. Its vehicles are built in China.

What Sort of Vehicles Does Smart Make?

Smart entered the U.S. market with the Fortwo, a small, two-seat microcar that can fit into tight places and is big on efficiency. It was sold from 2008 to 2017. An electric version of the Fortwo was sold from 2013 to 2018. Both the gas model and the electric version were offered in hardtop “coupe” variants and a partial convertible top version. From 2019 onward, Smart has not solid vehicles in the U.S. market.

by George Kennedy

From open-wheel racecars to specialty off-road vehicles, George Kennedy has driven it all. A career automotive journalist, George has been a contributor, editor, and/or producer at some of the most respected publications and outlets, including Consumer Reports, the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Autoblog.com, Hemmings Classic Wheels, BoldRide.com, the Providence Journal, and WheelsTV.

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