All-electric milestone

Annette Winkler, global head of smart at Mercedes-Benz, made her promise come true within a year as she drove a pure electric smart on stage at Auto Guangzhou on Wednesday, kicking off sale of the vehicle in China.

Not only a milestone for the brand, the launch of the model named the smart fortwo ed is also a landmark in the country's auto industry. With its introduction, Mercedes-Benz became the first European manufacturer to import an electric vehicle to China.

"It's a very good start to provide it first in Beijing and Shanghai," said Winkler. "We are continuing monitoring market demand and finding local partners in other cities. When feasible, the smart electric drive will enter into more Chinese cities."