diff --git a/templates/definition/vehicle/smart.yaml b/templates/definition/vehicle/smart.yaml
index a5b425820..8e6bfecf6 100644
--- a/templates/definition/vehicle/smart.yaml
+++ b/templates/definition/vehicle/smart.yaml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ params:
   - name: cache
     default: 15m
 render: |
-  type: smart-eq
+  type: mercedes
   vin: {{ .vin }}
   user: {{ .user }}
   region: {{ .region }}
diff --git a/vehicle/mercedes.go b/vehicle/mercedes.go
index 836cbb145..f23b6c547 100644
--- a/vehicle/mercedes.go
+++ b/vehicle/mercedes.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package vehicle
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/api"
@@ -16,16 +15,11 @@ type Mercedes struct {
 }
 
 func init() {
-	registry.Add("mercedes", func(other map[string]any) (api.Vehicle, error) {
-		return newMercedesFromConfig("mercedes", other)
-	})
-	registry.Add("smart-eq", func(other map[string]any) (api.Vehicle, error) {
-		return newMercedesFromConfig("smart-eq", other)
-	})
+	registry.Add("mercedes", NewMercedesFromConfig)
 }
 
-// newMercedesFromConfig creates a new vehicle
-func newMercedesFromConfig(brand string, other map[string]any) (api.Vehicle, error) {
+// NewMercedesFromConfig creates a new vehicle
+func NewMercedesFromConfig(other map[string]any) (api.Vehicle, error) {
 	cc := struct {
 		embed    `mapstructure:",squash"`
 		Tokens   Tokens
@@ -51,7 +45,7 @@ func newMercedesFromConfig(brand string, other map[string]any) (api.Vehicle, err
 		cc.User = cc.Account_
 	}
 
-	log := util.NewLogger(brand).Redact(cc.Tokens.Access, cc.Tokens.Refresh)
+	log := util.NewLogger("mercedes").Redact(cc.Tokens.Access, cc.Tokens.Refresh)
 	identity, err := mercedes.NewIdentity(log, token, cc.User, cc.Region)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -59,15 +53,9 @@ func newMercedesFromConfig(brand string, other map[string]any) (api.Vehicle, err
 
 	api := mercedes.NewAPI(log, identity)
 
-	if brand == "smart-eq" {
-		if cc.VIN == "" {
-			return nil, errors.New("missing VIN")
-		}
-	} else {
-		cc.VIN, err = ensureVehicle(cc.VIN, api.Vehicles)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	cc.VIN, err = ensureVehicle(cc.VIN, api.Vehicles)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	v := &Mercedes{