Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive makes way for EQ A hatch

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive makes way for EQ A hatch EV B-Class will be culled in autumn, close to the reveal of the brand’s first purpose-built electric hatchback

Mercedes-Benz will end production of its B-Class Electric Drive this autumn, leaving space for the EQ A hatch – the second model to come from the brand’s electric division.

The EQ A, set to be previewed in a Frankfurt motor show concept, is expected to be a similar size to the B-Class but built on a new, purpose-designed EV platform. As such, it will comfortably outpunch the B-Class and its 124-mile range, meaning a successor to the Electric Drive is highly unlikely.

The Electric Drive’s departure also signals the beginning of the end for the current B-Class range, which will bow out in the following months ahead of the launch of the next-generation model, which is due for market launch in 2018.

Although the future B-Class is not expected to include a new EV model, it will probably make use of electric technology for a plug-in hybrid variant. Sharing its power train with a hybrid version of the next A-Class, it’s predicted to offer an all-electric range of 31 miles.

The next B-Class will also gain several autonomous features that will be shared with the 2018 A-Class. These are set to include systems to enable Level 2 autonomy, meaning it can steer and brake itself up to certain speeds. It will do this using technology that comes as part of the car's lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control suites.

No arrival date has been set for the future B-Class’s arrival, but sources think the Geneva or New York motor shows, which take place in March and April respectively, will present Mercedes with the best opportunity to show the new model to its biggest markets.

Its MPV arch-rival, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, is due to be facelifted in 2018. That car has a comparable range of petrol and diesel engines, as well as a plug-in hybrid range-topper. The newly launched Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 is another similarly sized hybrid option in this price bracket.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BTCC 2018: Neal wins Diamond Double at Snetterton

Image
Neal clinched victory in the extended Diamond Double race Jack Goff stars in qualifying and race one, while veteran Neal clinches glory in double-length finale Triple British Touring Car champion Matt Neal clinched victory in the special extended Diamond Double race at Snetterton, held to mark the 60th anniversary of the series in his Honda Civic Type R . Rising stars Jack Goff and Ashley Sutton also took race wins at the Norfolk track. Instead of the usual reverse-grid finale, the third race at Snetterton was extended from 12 laps to 20, with double championship points on offer and no success ballast. The race also featured its own separate qualifying session. Picture special: 60 years of the BTCC That was good news for Eurotech driver Goff, who went fastest in both qualifying sessions to claim two pole positions in his Civic Type R. He made the first one count, pulling out a big lead in treacherous wet conditions.  The young guns of the BTCC Behind Goff, reigning champ...
Read more

Top 10 Autocar galleries of 2017

Image
Autocar's vast selection of galleries celebrate everything from the most beautiful cars of all time to the cars that have been forgotten. We run down Autocar readers' favourite car-themed galleries from the year Everyone loves a gallery of shiny images to scroll through, and Autocar readers are no different.  This year, we've published more galleries than ever for our lovely audience, covering everything from the weird and wonderful to the world's most beautiful cars . Take a look at our wider selection here , and scroll down for the top 10 of the year.  Autocar’s ten most popular galleries of 2017  10. In pictures: the greatest Toyotas ever made Exactly what it says on the tin. Toyota  is one of the world’s largest car makers, but aside from landmark cars like the Supra and 2000GT , it's easy to forget many cars in the brand’s history. We take you through Toyota’s greatest hits, from its first smashes to its latest greats.  9....
Read more