Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Mercedes-Benz



At an off-site reception held tonight ahead of tomorrow's opening of the Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz showed off its new Concept BlueZero. The car is both an example of clean technology and a preview of the styling for the next generation Mercedes B-Class. Like the current A and B class models, this concept uses a sandwich floor design and adds a modular powertrain system. The car is envisioned with three powertrain options depending on the range requirements. The BlueZero E-Cell uses a 35 kWh lithium ion battery pack to provide a 120-mile range, while the BlueZero F-Cell variant gets a 90 kW hydrogen fuel cell for a 240-mile range. The efficiency of the fuel cell version is rated at the equivalent of 81 mpg (US).

The third flavor is the E-Cell Plus and adds a 67-hp three-cylinder engine from the Smart ForTwo mounted in the rear between the sandwich floor layers where the spare tire would normally go. The ER-EV variant cuts the battery size in half as well as the electric-only range. The range extender, however, bumps the total range to 360 miles.

Mercedes also announced that it will begin low-volume series production of the fuel cell B-Class later this year and follow that with low volume series production of a battery electric vehicle in 2010.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZero




[Source: Mercedes-Benz]
Live Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Detroit 2009: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZero previews next-gen B-Class

Detroit 2009: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZero previews next-gen B-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Autoblog
01-11-2009 12:59 AM

The article says that this is the styling of the next gen b class, I dont think that this looks like Mercedes. It has no elegance, its to futuristic. I hope this is not what the new b class will look like.

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http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...titled-1-3.jpg
1981 300d

And here I thought all this time that the Mercedes fish-car concept had died.....

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Imagine what the front end paint finish will look like in 100,000 miles of highway driving?

Jeez, where did the styling go?

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Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

The Mercedes fish reappears.....



I just had a conversation with someone about this being the ugliest car ever conceived.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

^^^ agreed!

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Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

I would not drive that up here WV mountain's, someone would shoot that thing,
saw man last week from dc pulled in in new truck, GOAT on hood.