Electric B-class on sale 2015 01 | 05 | 2014
MERCEDES-BENZ WILL begin sales of its new electric B-class in Scotland in the first quarter of 2015: prices for the B-class Electric Drive will start around £32,000, though the car does qualify for the Government's £5000 plug-in vehicle grant.
As a result, takeaway price will be closer to £27,000, which places it around £1300 more expensive than BMW's excellent all-electric i3 (£30,680, but £25,680 after the plug-in grant).
Mercedes claims the electric B-class — powered by a front-mounted electric motor which makes 177bhp and 250lb/ft of torque — can travel 85 miles on electricity alone.
Limited to a top speed of 100mph, the electric B-class, which stores its electricity in a Tesla-made lithium-ion battery, can cover the 0-62mph sprint in 7.9secs.
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Externally the B-class Electric Drive — built at Mercedes' plant in Rastatt, Germany, which currently makes the A- and B-class and the GLA — is identical to the standard model in the range, though it does get a newly-styled front bumper and new body-coloured cladding within the wheel arches.
It's likely these subtle styling tweaks will be incorporated into the facelifted B-class which enters Scottish showrooms later this year after its official unveiling at October's Paris Motor Show.
Interestingly, in the US, the US the B-class Electric Drive costs just $41,450, or around £24,600. Mercedes highlights the price difference is due to increased specification and equipment lists on European models.
That should make the Euro models highly-specced, because the US model already has such safety features as Collision Prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Active Parking Assist.
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Jim McGill