The production of EQ compact electric car is part of initiative, which will lead Mercedes-Benz to launch 10 electric cars in all segments by 2022 and increase electric car share to amount 15 to 25 percent share in total sales by 2025. For Smart it is also planed to offer only electric models from 2020 and to become the first automotive brand to completely abandon internal combustion engines.

According to head of Smart, Dr. Annette Winkler, Daimler will invest around 500 million euros in Hambach plant and new car development and will also benefit from many years in building of fully electric cars, which Hambach plant has to offer. Already in 2007 Smart launched a battery electric car and has been building electric Smarts in series since 2012.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said : "20 years ago, we started an exemplary Franco-German project with the production of the smart in Hambach. Now we take the next step and for the first time in our more than 100-year old history we bring the production of Mercedes-Benz to France. With the compact EQ model from Hambach we continue our electric initiative."