Mercedes-Benz has dribbled out a few more details about its eagerly-awaited B-Class Electric Drive, which is scheduled to arrive in eight US states this summer. The latest news: MSRP will be $41,450, almost exactly the same as that of the BMW i3. The Beemer, which went on sale in the US this month, appears to be coming out of the gate strong, and it has much in common with the Merc, so it will be very interesting to watch these two German EVs face off.

The B-Class Electric Drive is based on the legacy B-Class, which has sold over a million units (in Europe, Canada and Japan) since its launch in 2005. The Tesla-designed drivetrain includes a 132 kW (177 hp) electric motor with maximum torque of 251 lb-ft (340 Nm), a 10 kW onboard charger and a 28 kWh battery pack. The front-wheel drive hatchback does 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds, and top speed is electronically limited to 100 mph. Mercedes estimates the range at 85 miles.

Even the base model is expected to come with such goodies as power front seats, cruise control and navigation, as well as some basic autonomy features like active parking assistance and a radar-based collision warning system. Connectivity features include a Vehicle Homepage, which allows remote interaction and configuration from a PC or smartphone.

Source: Mercedes-Benz, InsideEVs