Since its inception at the end of 2019, Smart Motor Automobile Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Geely Holding Group and Mercedes-Benz AG, has been preparing for the revival of the smart brand, which has just released a new smart genie #1 concept car in the past 2021, which is currently on a nationwide tour. The production version will be produced at the Xi'an plant and is expected to be officially launched in the second half of 2022.
As a "new force" focusing on light luxury fashion and tomorrow's technology, the new smart brand will adopt the D2C direct sales business model, establish 200 stores in 60 cities in the Chinese market (to be completed by the end of 2023), more than 20 self-operated delivery centers, and the first physical store has opened in Beijing in November 2021.
In addition to the upcoming domestic production, the smart brand has also set its sights on overseas markets. Just a few days ago, smart brand announced the signing of a memorandum of regional cooperation with another company under Geely Holding Group, Proton Motors Malaysia, and the two sides will jointly explore the new energy vehicle market in Southeast Asia. At the same time, Smart established Genie Automobile Sales Co., Ltd. in Nanning to help the smart brand develop in the Southeast Asian market and empower the global operation layout.
In the past 2021, despite the century epidemic, The Malaysian national car brand Proton still handed over a beautiful answer: in December last year, the brand sold 14,147 vehicles, and the total sales volume in 2021 was 114,708 vehicles, an increase of 4.5% year-on-year, the best annual sales record since 2014, achieving sales of more than 100,000 vehicles for three consecutive years. Proton's full-year 2021 market share reached 22.7%, an increase of 2% year-on-year, becoming the only malaysian car brand to have double growth for three consecutive years. At the same time, Proton's annual export volume was 3,018 units last year, an increase of more than 100% year-on-year, becoming the number one car brand in Malaysia in terms of export volume in the whole year.
In terms of channels, despite many challenges in financing and construction projects, Proton's 3S/4S authorized dealers in Malaysia in 2021 have maintained a steady growth momentum, reaching 147 so far.
Proton can achieve such results, and Geely Holding Group's technology output is inseparable, with the launch of the new smart genie #1 is imminent, I believe it will be of great help to Proton Automobile and even Geely Automobile's expansion in the Southeast Asian market.
In October last year, smart brand global joint venture company officially appointed Ms. Zhao Yijia as the head of sales in the Chinese market and the CEO of Elf Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., responsible for the overall marketing, sales and after-sales related business operations in China, reporting directly to the vice president of global sales, marketing and after-sales of smart brand global joint venture.
It is worth mentioning that the smart brand is not ready to abandon the European market, as early as 2020, smart Europe Co., Ltd. was established to be responsible for the supply, sales and after-sales service of smart in the European market in the future.