Mercedes Reportedly Planning Electric A- and B-Class Models for 2012
By John O'Dell December 9, 2008
No big surprise here, but a German news magazine is reporting that Mercedes-Benz plans to begin building battery-electric versions of its A- and B-Class subcompacts in 2012,
A-Class could be new EV from Mercedes.
----------
The Mercedes-Benz electric cars are to follow the Smart EV, which Mercedes owner Daimler already is testing in England and Germany.
Mercedes doesn't sell the A- or B-Class internal combustion models in the the U.S. but is contemplating bringing them over, so we might be in line for an electric version as well.
The magazine, WirtschaftsWoche, cited Mercedes' internal planning documents as sourcing or its A- and B-Class report, according to a morning industry analysis briefing from economics and business consulting firm Global Insight.
Actually, Daimler already has said it plans to test Mercedes-brand EVs. The magazine report provides the models and the timeline for entering the retail market.
The magazine also is reporting that Daimler has pushed back the retail launch date for the Smart EV to early 2012 from 2010, a delay that could signal problems with lithium-ion battery development or concern over the availability of an electric vehicle charging infrastructure, according to the Global Insight analysis.
Perhaps the crew at Mercedes should talk to the people at Better Place, which appears to be moving ahead full steam on its plans to install EV charging stations anywhere it can find a willing partner.
(We took our info from the Global Insight briefing, but you can click here for a computer-translated version of the magazine article, or, if you read German, for the original.)
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
LEAVE A COMMENT