Gl450 Awd Entertainment Pkg Navigation 3rd Seat Sat Bluetooth Rear View Camera on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 Mercedes B-Class ED battery much bigger than previously stated

There was something unexpected hiding in the new configurator for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive: a $600 "Temporary range extender." Since we've never heard of such a thing, we had to click through for more. The official explanation runs like this: A suite of options to further increase your driving range includes added insulation of the doors and roof for to increase climate-control efficiency, along with an electrically heated windshield and a range-extending charge function. By pressing a button on the console prior to charging, the maximum charge level for battery will increased for the next charge cycle. The higher-capacity charge can provide up to 17 additional miles of range. The passive features that increase range should be standard in all models, we think. But we were more curious about the battery charge situation. How do you increase a maximum? And is it a good idea to do so? The configurator includes this disclaimer, after all: Range extender should only be used on a limited basis, and could shorten battery life if used excessively. How much is excessive? We investigate below. The B-Class ED has, according to the specs, a 28-kWh battery. First, let's understand what this "temporary range extender" is all about. The B-Class ED has, according to the specs, a 28-kWh battery. But Terry Wei, from the Mercedes-Benz USA product and technology communications department, confirmed to AutoblogGreen that the B-Class ED is actually hiding a 36-kWh battery, but the automaker is calling it a 28-kWh battery because that's how much energy capacity is used in day-to-day use. Most automakers publicly claim the actual capacity and then admit they use a percentage of it. The Chevy Volt, for example, has a 16.5-kWh battery pack, but a "full charge" only fills up around 65 percent of that. In the B-Class ED, the 28 kWh of useable energy provides an EPA-certified 87 miles of range. But, since there are eight kWh of reserve, the temporary range extender (we think of it as a software update accessed by a button) can access some of that and offer the aforementioned 17 miles. Now that we know what we're dealing with, this reminds us of an evolved version of the "remote wireless charging" feature that was touted in the Reva EV. Wei said that the reason the feature is optional is because Mercedes doesn't think most people will need it. Eighty-seven miles is plenty for your average EV driver, but when you want to have 100+ in the tank, you can.

Five B-Class F-Cells go from SF-LA using public hydrogen stations

California's hydrogen islands in Los Angeles and San Francisco finally got the bridge they needed to become the "Hydrogen Highway." With the completion of a permanent public station in Coalinga built by FirstElement Fuel, 205 miles north of LA, 183 miles south of SF, fuel-cell-vehicle owners can complete the road trip without worry. Mercedes-Benz did just that with five B-Class F-Cell customers, spending three days covering 1,000 miles and filling up only at public permanent stations in Burbank, Coalinga, West Sacramento, and Emeryville. Mercedes says there are ten stations in California now, but more than 40 are scheduled to open in 2016, and about ten more every year after that through 2023, when there should be 123 open stations. The company's US fuel-cell fleet is 70 strong and has covered more than two million miles in the five years they've been on the roads here. On average that means each car has driven just 5,714 miles per year, but that number should go up now that they can stretch their hydrogen stacks. The press release below has more information. Nearly 1,000 fuel cell electric miles: Crossing California on Hydrogen - Five Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL complete emission-free drive from Los Angeles to Northern California while only filling up at public hydrogen stations - "California Hydrogen Highway" is connecting the dots - U.S. F-CELL customers have accumulated over 2 million miles since 2010 Stuttgart, Oct 27, 2015 - Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL customers ventured beyond Southern California last week for the very first time, while only filling up at existing public hydrogen stations along the route from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The opening of a new hydrogen station in Coalinga along the I-5 corridor made this opportunity possible. A team driving five B-Class F-CELL refilled at four permanent hydrogen fueling stations located in Burbank, Coalinga, West Sacramento and Emeryville, accumulating nearly 1,000 miles over the course of their three day trip. Three F-CELL customers were accompanied by a team from Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America based in Long Beach. The purpose of this unique road trip was to highlight the growing hydrogen station network and to show that the vision of the California Hydrogen Highway is becoming reality. Early adopter Loki Efaw who has been an F-CELL driver since 2011 believes fuel cells are the future: "I don't want a car that only takes me to work and back before I have to plug it in.

Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury fully revealed, tea set and all

Mercedes has officially unveiled its Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept following a leak of most of the details last week. As we learned last week, the unusual looking sedan-SUV crossbreed is fully electric with four motors producing a whopping 750 horsepower. Combined with an 80 kWh battery, Mercedes estimates it should have a range of over 200 miles on the European test cycle. It also can handle extremely fast charging from DC chargers outputting 350 kW. Mercedes claims this allows it to gain 60 miles of range in 5 minutes. But there are a number of interesting details that weren't leaked. Many of them have to do with the car's Chinese inspiration, which is perhaps not that surprising for a car that makes its debut in China. The body style is the first influence, which Mercedes says combines the sedan and SUV, the best-selling car classes in the country. On the inside, there are a pair of cues inspired by China. The first is the ebony wood trim that Mercedes calls "Magic Wood." The company says it's very similar to that used in Chinese furniture. In the back, between the two highly adjustable white leather seats with rose-gold stitching, is a complete tea set. And not only does it contain all the containers for tea, but it actually has a variety of teas on offer. They're there to be used in conjunction with the car's relaxation modes that combine lighting, music and scents to set the mood. It's hard to say whether this concept will spawn a production model, since the body style is unlike any currently offered by Mercedes-Benz. But with the crossover SUV market staying hot, and competitors such as Audi and BMW bringing out extra-large SUVs, we wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes eventually offers at least a Maybach-level version of its GLS-Class, if not its own model. Related Video: