After exciting consumers with the Smurf, its new electric car, Geely will have to change the vehicle’s name after facing an issue with Belgium.
It turns out that the Livan Smurf directly referenced the Smurfs, characters created in Belgium. Besides the name, the cars were also painted the same blue color used by the Smurfs.
However, instead of partnering with the creators, Geely completely ignored copyright rights. Unfortunately for the company, Belgium soon protested.
Because of this, the automaker had to back down from its initial idea and change the launch name even before it became known in the Chinese market. Now, the Livan Smurf has been renamed to Livan Blue Balloon.
The cars were already available at some dealerships, so beyond marketing, Geely had to rush to change the logos on vehicles that had already been produced.
Geely’s new model quickly caught consumers’ attention after its announcement. First, it fits the concept of kei-cars, mini electric cars that usually only fit the driver and have become extremely popular in Asia.
Second, its price of just US$5,000 made it an extremely affordable option in the EV market. For this price, it offers a single electric motor with a maximum power of 30 kilowatts and the ability to reach a top speed of 100 km/h.
Photo and video: Livan. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
