The first Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive has rolled off the assembly line in Rastatt, Germany, and is scheduled to go on sale in the US this summer.
With an MSRP expected to be in the low 40s, the electric Benz may prove a worthy competitor to the BMW i3, and could really shake up the middle of the market. Mercedes plans to launch it only in California and six other states at first, and to roll it out nationwide in 2015.
Based on Mercedes’ existing B-class hatchback, which is sold in Europe, the ED’s electric powertrain was developed by Tesla, and features a 100 kW (134 hp) motor, a floor-mounted 28 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 kW onboard charger.
There seems to be some debate about the exact specs – Mercedes has estimated the range at 124 miles, but InsideEVs predicts that EPA-certified range will turn out to be around 90 miles.
Sources: Green Car Reports, Autocar, InsideEVs
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