Mercedes-Benz B-Class E-Cell Plus Brings Extended Range EV Power

Mercedes-Benz has added a small gasoline engine to its B-Class E-Cell battery electric vehicle to create a range-extended electric vehicle (EREV). Calling it the Concept B-Class E-Cell Plus, the automaker has not disclosed if it will produce this EREV variant, although it likely will put the electric-only B-Class E-Cell into production in 2014.

The B-Class E-Cell Plus uses a lithium-ion battery pack supplied by Deutsche Accumotive, a joint venture between Daimler and Evonik. The E-Cell Plus has a range of up to 62 miles (100 kilometers) on battery power alone that is increased to 372 miles (600 kilometers) with the addition of the 67 horsepower, 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine. The motor, engine, generator, and transmission are located under the hood, while the Li-ion battery and gas tank are positioned in the car