smart shows the smart Concept #1 EV at IAA before eventual production

smart has been the funky citycar division of Daimler Benz for years, but recently Daimler entered into an agreement with Chinese automaker Geeley to help design and produce the next smart vehicles for Europe and China. The smart #1 Concept that debuted at IAA auto show in Munich represents the next smart cars and honestly, this is where they should have been all along. The smart #1 Concept is "production ready" meaning that what you see is close to what you'll be able to buy. The concept has 21" wheels which might not see production but the light bars front and rear should. It's a good-looking EV and should sell well. smart is even rethinking their sales and service structures to reflect new realities. Could this be another way of saying on-line only sales? The #1 (first car of the new age?) is a sub-compact based on Geeley's EV architecture that has tidy proportions with a large interior. No word was given on the source or specifications of the vehicle's tech, motors, and batteries. The interior is more upscale than in smarts of the past, but this is a pre-production concept, so changes can be made. Expect a less glittery interior and a rear seat for three. This will be interesting. Expect more info closer to the #1's on-sale date. No word on US sales. Click on "read more" below to view the media release, pics, and a video from FastAutoTrack. If smart makes a video available, I'll swap it out but until then, enjoy FastAutoTrack's professional video.

Source: smart (Geeley/Daimler) -  Media release, pics. YouTube video from FastAutoTrack.