Photo: Mercedes-Benz
The first mass production electric car from Mercedes-Benz is finally makings its way onto the British Market. With first deliveries scheduled to take place in the early part of 2015, the B-Class Electric Drive could stand to change our view of combining electric mobility with a premium car feel.
The B-Class ED will be available in Britain from £31,950, being quite generously equipped as standard. Once the OLEV government grant is taken into account that price drops to £26,950, which is roughly what you pay of a new Passat with a 2-liter diesel and an automatic 'box.
Crucially though, the B-Class ED is only marginally more expensive than its direct rival from Volkswagen, the equally new e-Golf, which stickers for £31,145 or £26,145 with the grant included.
There are a number of key areas where the Mercedes model is the superior car. For instance, it's got a lot more power, 180 hp compared to just 115 hp for the Golf. As a result, 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprints are dealt with in 7.9 seconds as opposed to over 10. Having started life as a sports tourer, the B-Class is also more spacious, boasting 501 liters of boot space or up to 1,456 liters with the seats folded.
The standard B-Class ED Sport model features unique design for the front and rear bumpers compared to the regular car, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, a seven-inch central display, automatic climate control, a reversing camera and cruise control.
For £32,245, you can order the B-Class Electric Drive in a more high-end trim level called Electric Art. This features contrasting mirrors and radiator grille elements, 18-inch dual color alloy wheels, automatic climate control, contrast blue stitching for the seats and aluminum trim.
Crucially though, the B-Class ED is only marginally more expensive than its direct rival from Volkswagen, the equally new e-Golf, which stickers for £31,145 or £26,145 with the grant included.
There are a number of key areas where the Mercedes model is the superior car. For instance, it's got a lot more power, 180 hp compared to just 115 hp for the Golf. As a result, 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprints are dealt with in 7.9 seconds as opposed to over 10. Having started life as a sports tourer, the B-Class is also more spacious, boasting 501 liters of boot space or up to 1,456 liters with the seats folded.
The electric art
It's interesting to note that even though it's built on a bespoke CFRP body BMW's i3 is slightly cheaper than both these cars at £30,680. Not only is it light and fast, but the Bavarian car has better range (190 miles compared to 142 for the B-Class) and is available with a range extender.The standard B-Class ED Sport model features unique design for the front and rear bumpers compared to the regular car, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, a seven-inch central display, automatic climate control, a reversing camera and cruise control.
For £32,245, you can order the B-Class Electric Drive in a more high-end trim level called Electric Art. This features contrasting mirrors and radiator grille elements, 18-inch dual color alloy wheels, automatic climate control, contrast blue stitching for the seats and aluminum trim.
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