While it’s important to highlight the positive aspects of a vehicle, especially if it’s a model that is supposed to appeal to a large audience, there are times when the reality is a vehicle is meant only for a smaller niche group than to be a widely advertised mode. This is the case for the B-Class from Mercedes-Benz. This EV model offers a small range that would have been considered a large range had Tesla kept their noses out of the EV market, but the B-Class does have a place in the automotive world for many to enjoy.
If you live in a city or just outside of the city and your daily driving is less than seventy miles this is a great choice for you. That will actually give you a buffer on the range of this vehicle. As a small hatchback from Mercedes-Benz this will let you enjoy the drive of an EV while also experiencing the amazing luxury features and driving manners of a model from Mercedes-Benz. For 2016 there is a small weight savings and the new name for this vehicle is the B250e instead of the electric drive.
As there is only one model offered for this vehicle, you will only have a single powertrain to worry about. This powertrain is an AC electric motor that uses a 28-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This produces 177 horsepower and 251 lb.-ft. of torque, which is more than enough for this small hatchback to handle the drive. This car is setup in front wheel drive mode and will give you nearly 87 miles of driving range before needing a recharge. The battery can be recharged to a 60 mile range in only two hours while a full recharge can be done in 3.5 hours using the Level 2 charger.
Because this car has such a small target market it comes with many of the features you want already standard. The list of standard features includes cruise control, aluminum-alloy wheels, a navigation system, automatic climate controls, Collision Prevention Assist, Active Parking Assist, Attention Assist, front and side curtain airbags and a knee airbag for the driver. These base feature will help you avoid a rear end collision with a car in front of you, assist you in finding a parallel parking spot big enough for this small car and ensure you stay awake when drowsy or recommend you take a break when needed.
There are some options you can have on this small car to make it even better to drive during your daily allotment of city driving time. These include the radar based regenerative braking system, blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assistance, Parktronic to help take the Parking Assistance a bit farther, the COMAND multimedia system with a seven-inch dash mounted screen. These options may feel like needs and you should consider each one as they are meant to make your driving experience better and more informative than without them.
The two features that we seem to love more than the rest on this car are the radar-based regenerative braking and the vehicle homepage. The braking system adds electricity back to the batteries when you slow down and allows you to choose how aggressive you want to be with this system. This integrates the active cruise control with the system to automatically follow at a specific distance and make use of the system even when you aren’t using your fee to drive. The mbrace app system allows you to program the climate control to heat or cool the vehicle during charging to save battery for the driving time. There are more features from this system you can use, but this is an intelligent system for this smart little vehicle.
On the inside the B250e is a true Mercedes-Benz vehicle. On the dash you see soft touch materials and the infotainment screen resembles an iPad with excellent functionality. The front seats feel roomy and comfortable with the high end materials covering them and there is a good amount of cargo space inside this vehicle to give you the carrying capacity you need to enjoy a car that has upscale features even though it’s a city driving vehicle.
The look of the exterior of the B250e is similar to many of the other hatchbacks on the market today. This car has a tall and offers the look and feel of a hatchback that you would find on the streets in Europe but it features the badging of one that is certainly a step above most hatchbacks we see around us. The blue tinted grill on the front lets you know this is an EV and the headlights feature LED accents that add a bit of luxury to the exterior of this car to make it a vehicle that is admirable as you see it driving down the road.
When it comes to an EV model many times you are paying a bit more because of the inclusion of the EV technology, but the B250e is one of the most affordable Mercedes-Benz models on the road today. The starting price is around $43,350 and if you add all the options you will only reach up to $51,000 which isn’t bad in the luxury market, but you still will only have a hatchback vehicle. The federal tax credit of $7,500 makes a big difference for this car to help you feel it’s even more affordable.
The B250e is a great little car to drive and if you really want the luxury branding this is a great way to get it. The drive is exceptional as you would expect from a car that is badged by Mercedes-Benz. The lack of engine noise makes it even more enjoyable to drive and is actually a quick car to maneuver in and out of traffic in the city. Set up a 240-volt outlet in your home and you will enjoy every aspect of driving this great little car that is perfect for the city dwellers to enjoy luxury features and benefits just as much as those living in rural and suburban neighborhoods.
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