The tiny, two-person Smart cars once thought as the next big thing in urban mobility will be discontinued in the United States and Canada by the end of the current model year, German automaker Daimler AG stated on Monday.
Smart cars, with their distinctive styling and ability to fit in half a parking space, found an audience in densely populated U.S. and Canadian cities. But that audience was not big and rapidly declined. Smart reported just 90 cars sold in the United States during March, dropping 18 percent from the year before.
U.S. sales of a wide range of small cars have collapsed during the past several years as relatively cheap gasoline and a strong economy have encouraged consumers to purchase larger trucks and sport utility vehicles.
The Smart brand’s electric cars offered just 58 miles (93 km) of driving range. Rivaling models such as the “mid-range” Tesla Model 3, with an estimated range of 264 miles, offered more range and more space for passengers and cargo. The range estimates are from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz brand, in a statement, mentioned “a number of factors” for the decision to end Smart’s run in the United States and Canada, “including a decreasing micro-car market in the U.S. and Canada, combined with high homologation costs for a low volume model.” Homologation refers to the changes needed to bring the European-designed Smart in line with U.S. regulations.
Daimler put an end to the sales of gasoline-fueled Smart cars in 2017.
Mercedes prepares to bring new, larger electric vehicles to the United States, starting with the release of the EQC sport utility next year. Those vehicles will assist Mercedes to meet zero-emission vehicle quotas in California and other states.
Mercedes dealers are still going to offer parts and fixes for Smart cars, the company said.
