2014 Mercedes B-Class: Best Electric-Car Lease Deal Available?

2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive

The number of available electric-car models may be limited compared to the legions of internal-combustion cars available, but that doesn't mean it's not worth hunting around for a good deal.

And right now, bargain shoppers may want to take a close look at the 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive.

As Mercedes dealers make room for 2015 models, incentives offered on 2014-model leases could make this Mercedes the best electric-car deal of the moment.

However, getting that deal will take a little more than walking into a dealership and signing on the dotted line, according to CarsDirect.

Through April 30, the 2014 B-Class Electric Drive is available to lease at $299 a month for 36 months, and a cap of 10,000 miles per year.

It also requires $4,093 down at signing--a high amount compared to other current electric-car lease deals.

2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive

That may seem off-putting, but the B-Class is also available with a $5,000 dealer certificate, which can be applied to lease payments.

These certificates are given to dealers based on their sales history. Dealers with larger volumes are given more certificates, which they can apply to individual sales at their discretion.

That means B-Class shoppers should consider getting quotes from multiple dealers--increasing the chance of finding one offering this unadvertised incentive.

Mercedes launched the B-Class Electric Drive last July in 10 states, but plans to expand sales to all 50 states in its full model year on sale here.

Some equipment that was optional on the 2014 model is now standard on the 2015.

2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive

That includes a navigation system, Keyless Go, and the Range Package--which adds an extra 15 miles of range in certain circumstances.

That's in addition to the EPA-rated 87 miles of range, which doesn't change with the model year.

Neither does the gasoline-equivalent efficiency rating of 84 MPGe.

The 2015 model actually qualifies for a $3,000 dealer certificate, but buyers willing to sacrifice some luxuries will save more with a leftover 2014 model.

Source: Green Car Reports

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Aims For 60 MPG

Mercedes-Benz has recently been accused of cooking the books when it comes to rating the fuel economy of their new cars in Europe, which rarely meet real world expectations. But until regulators crack down on MPG ringers, Daimler will continue to be able to market cars like the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake as offering as much as 60 MPG.

The CLA Shooting Brake may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but station wagons are clearly making a comeback, and Mercedes designers have made a beauty in this case. I seriously dig this Merc, and as a child of the 80s, I’m glad to see a staple of my formative years returning to the road with such style.

That incredible fuel economy figure comes courtesy of a 2.1 liter turbodiesel making 136 horsepower and a 221 lb-ft of torque, though a more potent version will offer buyers up to 177 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Both engines will offer fuel consumption figures of about 4.0 liters per 100km, which works out to about 60 MPG.

Mind you, this is on the more generous (and easier to cheat) European testing standards; should this engine/car combo ever come stateside, I’d expect a rating more in the 40 MPG range. The 1.6 liter gasoline engine gets a rating of 5.5 liters per 100km, which works out to 42 MPG on the highway, and as much as 211 horsepower if speed is more your thing. All CLA models will come with the award-winning ECO start/stop system, which does help improve fuel economy somewhat.

Mercedes also claims that in its Blue EFFICIENCY form, the CLA Shooting Brake has a drag coefficient of just 0.26, making it one of the slipperiest cars on the road. The sedan version of the CLA managed to set a benchmark of just 0.22 though, so you sacrifice some aerodynamics in the name of style. Alas, we won’t be getting the CLA Shooting Brake here in America, which means adding it to our list of wish-we-had-it vehicles. All we’re getting is the B-Class Electric Drive, which isn’t half as exciting as its main rival, the BMW i3.

Mercedes B-Class Electric Fails To Impress Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports rarely minces words when it comes to its car reviews, and it calls the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive hatchback the least-efficient electric car on the market. Ouch.

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive hatchback has a sticker price of around $41,350 and while the hatchback does offer abundant cargo space and a clear view of the road, it isn’t enough to earn high marks from Consumer Reports.

The electric B-Class has an 80 mile range, but also offers what Mercedes is calling an extended Range Plus mode which will push the Merc an additional 20 miles, offering a maximum of 100 miles of driving range. The extended Range Plus mode is done by selecting the option prior to charging the vehicle, which increases the charge from the cars normal 28 kWh to the full 36 kWh. Of course overclocking the battery will have a negative impact on the batteries lifespan. Unfortunately, the B-Class Electric also doesn’t offer a DC fast charge option like its main competitor, the BMW i3, so it takes a full 3.5 hours to charge compared to the Bimmer, which can top off in about 30 minutes.

While the Range Plus mode is interesting, it did not help once Consumer Reports took the B-Class for a spin. The results were the B-Class running at 2.9 miles per kWh, or the equivalent of about 98 mpg. While 98 mpg would be great for a gasoline powered car, it is a very poor score for an electric vehicle, and it’s even worse than the 3.2 kWh of the much older Nissan LEAF, which has been on the market for four years now.

Consumer Reports found other problems too. Even with a drive system coming from Tesla, the independent magazine said the car felt dated with a noisy cabin, stiff suspension, and dull handling despite a healthy 177 horsepower engine. Additionally, one of the largest issues aside from the Range Plus mode that Consumer Reports had with the B-Class was with the regenerative brake system. The B-Class offers two regenerative brake modes, one called Drive Minus which boosts regenerative braking but is tricky to use effectively. The other mode is Drive Plus mode, which allows you to coast, but brings down the range extending benefits of regenerative brakes.

Consumer Reports is not alone in their negative view of the B-Class as Car and Driver had some choice words as well. In any event, the B-Class Electric Drive is available in California only for now, but will be more widlely available across the U.S. in 2015.

Source: consumerreports.org

Production Begins Of Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive

While critical of Tesla’s long-term game plan, Mercedes has no problem using Tesla parts in the Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive, which just began production. It’s not Tesla Model S competitor Mercedes needs, but it still outshines many competitor EVs in both range and luxury.

Built on the same production line as the standard Mercedes B-Class, the B-Class Electric packs more range and power than most of the competition. Rated at 124 miles per charge, the B-Class Electric can accelerate from 0 to 62 MPH in about 7.9 seconds, respectable but hardly blistering. Powering the B-Class is a lithium-ion battery pack and 132 kW (177 horsepower) electric motor, both of which were designed by Tesla, as was most of the rest of the drivetrain.

When it hits American shores, the B-Class, in both electric and gasoline flavors, will be the smallest Mercedes sold in the country. The B-Class Electric can add about 60 miles of driving in as little as 1.5 hours, though it won’t be Supercharger compatible. This compact luxury hatchback will be Mercedes entry into an increasingly crowded field of pure electric vehicles, though its most obvious target is the BMW i3, a car whose popularity surprised even its builders.

Funny how Mercedes can take a swipe at Tesla with one hand, while trying to bring it in for a bro-hug with the other.

Source: Mercedes