The battery-powered Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive will make its debut at next week’s 2012 Paris motor show, demonstrating Daimler’s continuing pursuit towards its ultimate objective of zero-emission driving.
The company says the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive is “almost ready for series production”, with a 2014 launch already planned.
The concept car will be one of the first models to have ‘Electric Drive’ in its model designation before future battery-powered models from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and Smart follow suit.
The B-Class Electric Drive’s ‘Energy Space’ houses the car’s lithium-ion battery pack – likely to be sourced from Tesla Motors – low in the floor of the vehicle, in front of the rear axle, to provide the same interior space as the current B-Class production models (pictured below) as well as improving the vehicle’s centre of gravity.
Equipped with a 100kW/310Nm electric motor, Mercedes-Benz says the B-Class Electric Drive has a range of 200km with the battery able to be charged from any standard domestic 230-volt power outlet or with a rapid charge 400-volt terminal.
Joining the B-Class Electric Drive at Paris on September 27 will be the production versions of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive and the Smart Brabus Electric Drive – both world premieres.