Smart has appointed Wolfgang Ufer, head of the brand in Germany, to CEO of its European operations. He replaces Dirk Adelmann who, as CEO since 2020, was responsible for the brand’s rebirth with a range of electric SUVs – the #1, #3 and #5. Those models found some early success but, following the European Union’s decision to apply tariffs to Chinese-built EVs, sales slumped. According to figures from analyst Dataforce, Smart made 13,100 registrations in Europe last year, down by 47% compared with 2024. The brand’s struggle to build sales is not solely a result of the tariffs, however. In the UK, which does not apply the same levy, Smart’s sales were down by 10.7% in 2025, to 1770 cars. Adelmann has been named as the new head of Mercedes-Benz Switzerland. Ufer, who takes charge of the brand in March, will be responsible for reversing the slump while also launching the #2, a new city car to replace the old Fortwo. Smart said the #2 will “play an important role” in repositioning the brand in Europe, with the potential to “unlock additional volume”. Indeed, at its peak, the Fortwo attracted some 100,000 sales per year in Europe – but that was through the early 2000s, when it was offered with a combustion engine. It remains to be seen whether an electric model will carry the same appeal. Another lever Ufer could pull to grow sales would be to import the plug-in-hybrid models the brand sells exclusively in China; PHEVs are not covered by the EU’s tariffs, so these could be more competitive than the brand’s EVs. As previously reported by Autocar, Smart China insiders have suggested that the new #6, a PHEV saloon, could be brought to Europe to boost sales. The #5 SUV is also offered with PHEV power in China. “The smart Europe team has built an excellent foundation over the past six years,” said Ufer. “I am looking forward to leading this strong team into our next phase of growth in Europe by leveraging our great products, distinctive brand, and dedicated network.”
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13,000 sales in Europe (and declining) spread across three models? I’d say it’s time to give up, in Europe at least!