China-made smart-branded vehicles to hit Australia

Two electric models from smart, a joint venture between Mercedes and Geely, are scheduled to be launched in Australia in the third quarter this year, said the company on Monday.

The models, called smart #1 and smart #3, are made at the carmaker's manufacturing facility in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

The company also announced on Monday the establishment of a wholly-owned subsidiary in Australia.

LSH Auto Australia, a car dealer which has sold smart's gasoline models, will sell its electric models and offer after-sales service in Australia, starting with Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Since its first model was delivered in September 2022, smart has delivered around 100,000 electric vehicles, covering 24 countries and regions across the globe.