Mercedez Benz News Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Is Shown the Door

[William Maley]

Mercedes-Benz has been selling an electric vehicle - the B-Class Electric Drive - in the U.S. since December 2013. But you have likely not seen on. Mercedes has only sold 3,651 B-Classes, mostly in states that follow zero-emission vehicle mandates such as California. Now, Mercedes-Benz has made the decision to drop the B-Class Electric Drive.

Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran confirmed the news to Automotive News, saying production of the Electric Drive would be phased out in the next quarter. Part of the reason for the vehicle being dropped is Mercedes putting more focus on their upcoming EQ lineup of electric vehicles.

"Due to our strategic focus on [connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drive systems] for the mobility of the future, we are planning the step-by-step electrification of our portfolio. Moreover, we are evaluating the production of our new generation of electric vehicles at all of our locations of Mercedes Benz Cars," said Moran in an email.

The other part as to why the B-Class Electric Drive is being kicked out is Mercedes will be converting the plant in Rastatt, Germany to produce the next-generation compact lineup. Mercedes will continue to produce the B-Class (gas & diesel variants) for other markets.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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[A Horse With No Name]

There goes the Benz plan to be all electric in 5 years...I guess they meant electric radio and electric headlights...Damn those pesky Germans!

[frogger]

32 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

There goes the Benz plan to be all electric in 5 years...I guess they meant electric radio and electric headlights...Damn those pesky Germans!

I don't recall any plan... Just a separate line.

 

[G. David Felt]

I see a few of the B Class EV's around here in Washington but they suck as an EV and are a pathetic plastic garbage auto. People who see them are shocked MB actually built it.

I am not at all surprised by this as the bulk of these EV's were sold in California and as a compliance auto, they took ever cheap ass corner cutting way they could with it. They actually insulted their own product line.

Now more of an interesting question is, are they building enough of them to hold over in California till their new EV's come to market? After all CARB has that requirement of selling so many zero emission auto's so you can continue to sell your Green House gas warming auto's in that state. 

[surreal1272]

"The best or nothing"

 

Guess they chose nothing. 

[riviera74]

Maybe the B-Class is just Mercedes Benz EV version 1.0; of course that assumes MB leans anything from this debacle.

[smk4565]

This is a good bye and good riddance.  They only made this to comply with California laws so they could sell their gas guzzlers there.  The new wave coming in 2019 I am optimistic about, 250+ mile range and 405 hp, 5 second 0-60 time.