Mercedes-Benz has presented its first electric vehicle with Range Extender at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show – the Mercedes-Benz B-Class E-CELL Plus Concept.
A new addition to Mercedes-Benz’s portfolio of electric cars is the near-series Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS – a compact model that meets all the needs of daily motoring with a total range of up to 600 kilometers (373 miles).
This is made possible by the combination of a powerful electric drive generating a peak power output of 100 kW and a continuous output of 70 KW with a 50 kW petrol engine. The latter performs a dual role: at low vehicle speeds it charges the battery via a generator. At higher speeds – on prolonged motorway stretches, for example – it additionally serves as a driving engine, acting on the front wheels together with the electric motor via a newly developed automatic transmission.
In all-electric, local emission-free mode the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS has a range of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles). This covers over 80 percent of daily driving needs. The total range of up to 600 kilometers allows the vehicle to be used for long journeys, too.
This means that the electric vehicle with Range Extender is fully suitable for everyday use and can be relied upon to reach its destination, even with a fully discharged battery. In combined driving mode the vehicle emits 32 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
Mercedes-Benz says the E-Cell scoots from 0 to 100km.h (0 to 62 miles per hour) in approximately 11 seconds and can hit a top speed of 150km/h (93 mph).
When the car goes into production in 2014, remote checking and remote configuration of the vehicle will be possible by means of the Vehicle Homepage. The driver will be able to access his or her vehicle via the internet, using PC or smartphone. In this way, it will be possible to check the current charge status of the lithium-ion battery or to verify the vehicle’s current range on a map.
A smart charging feature will allow the customer to select a desired time for the beginning of a journey. The system then ensures that the battery is fully charged and, if desired, that the vehicle is air-conditioned at this point in time. The Vehicle Homepage offers further convenience functions, such as a route planner designed specifically for electric vehicles.
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