Official Mercedes B-class EV thread

[DeaneG]

What's with that crazy extra feature line (crease) across the bottom of the doors and rear flanks? It's like they copied the BMW 1-series' biggest styling mistake.

 

[user 10599]

I don't think the blue accents are standard. The gallery displayed at MBUSA's website for the upcoming B has normal grille color. Of course that gallery is of a blue car, so I'm not sure about the mirrors, but it looks like it was the same blue as the paint on the car where the detroit picture looks like a different treatment. I also don't recall anything weird like that when I was drooling over the one at the LA Car Show.

My guess is that it will be similar to the Smart ED. If you want to stand out as an electric, you can get the white/green. If not, then you can get it in the standard Smart color schemes. That way, the car will appeal to both groups of buyers. I personally prefer the standard MB look rather than one that screams electric car.

 

[Ogi]

I've never understood the tendencies toward "alien chariot" styling of electric cars. Why have carmakers not grasped that electric car buyers are the same people who have been buying cars all along - and have already been proven to not like outlandish? What made them think we suddenly change our aesthetic preferences just because we are buying a car with a modernised drivetrain - isn't it still a car?

 

[Bicster]

I've never understood the tendencies toward "alien chariot" styling of electric cars. Why have carmakers not grasped that electric car buyers are the same people who have been buying cars all along - and have already been proven to not like outlandish? What made them think we suddenly change our aesthetic preferences just because we are buying a car with a modernised drivetrain - isn't it still a car?

Amen. At least Tesla has grasped that.

 

[user 10599]

Amen. At least Tesla has grasped that.

Actually, remember that they started with the Roadster. But at least when they did outlandish, they did it with style, not funky neon trim more appropriate to the hamster mobiles designed to appeal to wanna be rappers.

I think there are too many automotive marketing 'experts' who think that the only ones who would be interested in an EV are the super young and foolish.

 

[evnow]

Amen. At least Tesla has grasped that.

I think it is a little different. OEMs want to make the converted EVs look a little different - and the cheapest way to do that is to add accents. With Tesla there is no mistaking that it is an EV ...

 

[redLEAF]

Recent 'close to production' first drive ...

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/mercedes-benz-b-class-electric-drive-first-drive-2014-02-06

 

[TomT]

It looks like any one of a number of nondescript econboxes...

Recent 'close to production' first drive ...

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/mercedes-benz-b-class-electric-drive-first-drive-2014-02-06

 

[Berlino]

I thought this vehicle was equipped with a 9.6kW charger for L2, but no quick-charge port.

However, there's this line from the topgear article: But stick the B to a 400V charger and it'll be full in one and half hours

I have to remember that topgear is more about entertainment than about information.

 

[Valdemar]

It is 400V Mennekes 3-phase AC in Europe, not DCQC, up to 22kW @32A I think.

 

[Berlino]

It is 400V Mennekes 3-phase AC in Europe, not DCQC, up to 22kW @32A I think.

thx, that makes sense.

 

[cwerdna]

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Enters Production – Job #1 Rolls Off The Line:
http://insideevs.com/mercedes-benz-b-class-electric-drive-now-production-job-1-rolls-line/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Heh... yet another ED vehicle.

The US will be first up for B-Class Electric Drive sales. Per Mercedes-Benz:

“…B-Class ED will be available starting summer 2014 at authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers in select states — CA, CT, MD, OR, NJ, NY, RI and VT — and then nationwide in early 2015.”

 

[redLEAF]

Posted here simply because of the headline ...

2014 Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive BMW i3 / Leaf killer ready to launch ...

Pretty much stock photo

http://www.torquenews.com/1084/2014-mercedes-b-class-electric-drive-bmw-i3-leaf-killer-ready-launch

The 100% EV market is pretty small but would people really cross shop a LEAF with a MBZ or BMW ? Not sure about that with the price premium on both the German cars but I guess it's possible as they're saying that the Caddy with mostly a Volt powertrain compares to a Tesla S sedan even though on different 'missions'. I'm sure we'll see more coverage in the weeks to come.

 

[sparky]

Thanks for the update.
Based on the photo, it seems to have very poor traction.
Nonetheless, I plan to check this out when they become available for test drives.
Still looking at eventually replacing our early '11 LEAF although unable to find anything that my wife prefers over her LEAF (even a new LEAF!).

Silly that torquenews and others feel the need to position this as a BMW-i3 "killer" when we're still awaiting broad-based i3 "proof of life".
It seems these mags presume that there's no expanding pool of EV buyers, just the same 0.1% of ADD-addled promiscuous buyers.
The particular torquenews article seems to be computer generated with an algo that doesn't read what it just wrote.

Mercedes says it has an estimated range of 115 miles. ....
....The new B-Class Electric Drive has a range of about 60 miles....

 

[Valdemar]

The lack of quick-charge port is a non-starter in California considering the ongoing EVgo roll-out and other DCQC locations popping out here and there outside of Nissan dealerships. The 10kW OBC will rarely, if ever, be used at its full capacity too. Sigh.

 

[redLEAF]

Thanks for the update.
Based on the photo, it seems to have very poor traction.
Nonetheless, I plan to check this out when they become available for test drives.
Still looking at eventually replacing our early '11 LEAF although unable to find anything that my wife prefers over her LEAF (even a new LEAF!).

Silly that torquenews and others feel the need to position this as a BMW-i3 "killer" when we're still awaiting broad-based i3 "proof of life".
It seems these mags presume that there's no expanding pool of EV buyers, just the same 0.1% of ADD-addled promiscuous buyers.
The particular torquenews article seems to be computer generated with an algo that doesn't read what it just wrote.

Mercedes says it has an estimated range of 115 miles. ....
....The new B-Class Electric Drive has a range of about 60 miles....

That last mention on the 60 mile range had to do with charging at 240V for two hours ,,, not a full charge but perhaps what you might experience at a public L2 station while shopping, etc. still seems odd to mention that without a context; we'll also check this one and others out but perhaps more seriously in a few years or when we start seeing significant battery degradation in our '12 LEAF SL. Still will like to see fit & finish, quality of materials used, etc. as this 'B-class' is certainly not in S-class territory.

 

[hill]

Posted here simply because of the headline ...

2014 Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive BMW i3 / Leaf killer ready to launch ...

Pretty much stock photo

http://www.torquenews.com/1084/2014-mercedes-b-class-electric-drive-bmw-i3-leaf-killer-ready-launch

The 100% EV market is pretty small but would people really cross shop a LEAF with a MBZ or BMW ? Not sure about that with the price premium on both the German cars but I guess it's possible as they're saying that the Caddy with mostly a Volt powertrain compares to a Tesla S sedan even though on different 'missions'. I'm sure we'll see more coverage in the weeks to come.

I think I posted a picture of one of the mules charging in my drive way ... maybe not ... I'll see if I can find it.
.

 

[TonyWilliams]

The lack of quick-charge port is a non-starter in California considering the ongoing EVgo roll-out and other DCQC locations popping out here and there outside of Nissan dealerships. The 10kW OBC will rarely, if ever, be used at its full capacity too. Sigh.

Like every Tesla Model S and Tesla powered Toyota Rav4 EV, it has the same 10kW onboard charger. Mine is used every night at "10kW" (40 amps AC), as i suspect tens of thousands of Tesla do, too.

Most RV parks are a "10kW" charging location, too, with a JESLA portable charge cord. With the Tesla Roadster adaptor, i can pull 40 amps from every Clipper Creek TS-70 that are scattered up and down the west coast of the USA.

 

[hill]

Found it ... this was last June ... it's good to be listed on plugshare

Sorry if the pic's render large - but I'm on the phone

.

 

[TomT]

I don't believe that it is, but it will still be on my short list for other reasons when it comes time to replace my Leaf early next year...

2014 Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive BMW i3 / Leaf killer ready to launch ...