I spotted this 1980 Sears electric in a local thrift store and couldn't resist. It instantly reminded me of the 1967 movie "The Graduate". (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061722/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)
There were several models (made by Nakajima?) that are slight variations on the same design. Sears sold "The Scholar", "The Communicator", "The Achiever", and this one - "The Graduate". I think there were even more.
It was cheap, so I didn't bother to plug it in or test it in the store. When I got home, I found out that it was dead. That explains the price. After taking off the shell, I discovered that the main drive belt was severely stretched and folded over on itself. The rubber was the consistency of oatmeal. Yuck!
Duane at Phoenix Typewriter says that the belts for these machines are impossible to find. However, I found one in my junk drawer that was a perfect fit. After replacing the belt and giving the typewriter a typical cleaning, it was working again like new. It seems to be a solid little typer, and the power return is snappy without being jarring. Same for the power backspace and repeating keys. For a 43 year old, plastic-cased machine, it has held up rather well. I can't find anything wrong with it.
