Nother CarGuy

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will kill off the B-Class Electric Drive after the 2017 model year. Speaking to Autonews, Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran said that production would be phased out in the third quarter of this year so the automaker can turn its attention towards it impending range of EQ vehicles. Moran said that the assembly plant in Rastatt, Germany, responsible for building the B-Class Electric Drive will soon be converted to build the firm’s updated compact vehicles from 2018. The cancellation of the electric B-Class comes as no real shock as it has never been particularly popular. In fact, since hitting the U.S. market in December 2013, only 3,651 examples have been sold across the country. In a statement, Moran said “Due to our strategic focus on [connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drive systems] for the mobility of the future, we are planning the step-by-step electrification of our portfolio. Moreover, we are evaluating the p...

Smart’s world premieres for the  upcoming Paris Auto Show  are the pure electric versions of the  ForTwo Coupe  and Cabrio, and for the first time, the ForFour. All three models share the same electric motor producing 82hp (61kW / 83PS) and 160Nm (118 lb-ft) of torque in European specification, allowing for a 0-100km/h (62mph) time of 11.5 sec in the ForTwo Coupe, 11.8 sec in the ForTwo Cabrio and 12.5 sec in the ForFour. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 km/h (80 mph) on all three cars to help maximize efficiency. A Renault-sourced, single speed fixed gear transmission drives the rear wheels, and if you’re wondering, for reverse, the gearbox simple changes the engine's direction of rotation. A 17.6kWh lithium-ion battery offers a driving range of 160km (100 miles) in the ForTwo Coupe, and 155km (96 miles) in the other two, with a charging time of 2.5 hours in the USA and Britain, which is half as long as the previous electric Smarts. In Germany where a d...