Smart Europe CEO: 'We're no longer just a niche'

From its inception, Smart has focused on being an urban transportation solution, with very small cars such as the ForTwo and ForFour that can dart around tight city streets and park in tiny spaces. But after becoming a 50-50 joint venture of Geely and Mercedes-Benz, Smart Automobiles is preparing to relaunch as an electric-only brand with larger vehicles, including the new #1 (pronounced hashtag 1) -- but still wants to satisfy existing customers. Smart Europe CEO Dirk Adelmann spoke with Automotive News Europe Associate Publisher and Editor Luca Ciferri and News Editor Peter Sigal about how the once-niche brand plans to expand its customer base.