VW shows renderings of ID electric-car concept for Paris Motor Show

Volkswagen presently sells just one all-electric car under its own brand in multiple markets, the e-Golf electric variant of its well-known five-door compact hatchback.

But in the wake of continuing fallout from the Volkswagen diesel scandal, the company is wrenching itself toward a more electric future.

It has just released the first renderings of the electric-car concept it will unveil tomorrow at the Paris Motor Show, to be called "I.D."

To underscore just how much of a change VW expects the car to represent, it's comparing the car to the original Beetle—with the theme, "Think New," echoing that car's famous "Think Small" ads half a century ago.

This "iconic design study" is intended to signal "the brand's entry into a new era," Volkswagen says, and the concept is "as revolutionary as the Beetle was seven decades ago before it evolved into the world's best-selling car of the century."

The concept "has the potential to make history" as the first high-volume electric vehicle from the German brand. And this time around, the car isn't retro-cute but a smoothly shaped five-door hatchback with the well-known round VW symbol on the nose

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Teaser for Volkswagen electric car concept debuting at 2016 Paris auto show

The concept vehicle will be the first vehicle produced on the MEB architecure for compact-sized electric cars that the company discussed last year.

VW says the production version will arrive in 2020, to be sold alongside the Golf, with a range of 400 to 600 kilometers (250 to 375 miles) on a single battery charge.

Because the European test cycle is notoriously gentle, that might translate to ranges of perhaps 200 to 300 miles under the U.S. EPA test cycles and adjustment factors.

The VW ID will have a motor output of 125 kilowatts (168 horsepower),the company says, and from 2025, will offer fully autonomous driving.

Volkswagen has said it plans to launch 30 new electric models across multiple brands between now and 2025.

Teaser for Volkswagen electric car concept debuting at 2016 Paris auto show

Two weeks ago, it released three teaser photos of the concept, showing portions of sketches that it says were made for the project.

Unsurprisingly, those carried numerous design elements that are instantly identifiable as Volkswagen hallmarks.

Those include large circular "VW" badges, headlights with pointed inside edges, and taillights that wrap around the corners of the rear.

It appears to have slightly more rounded corners and edges on the classic square-cut Volkswagen shape, but the full form of the vehicle remains unknown.

Teaser for Volkswagen electric car concept debuting at 2016 Paris auto show

Another technical advance promised by VW Group CEO Matthias Mueller is DC fast-charging to recharge the battery pack to 80 percent capacity in just 15 minutes.

That would require considerably higher-rate current delivery under the Combined Charging System (CCS) protocol than has yet been adopted by that standard's working group.

While the car is expected to fall squarely in what Europeans call the C-segment, or compact size, it will likely have the interior volume of a much larger vehicle—VW calls it an "entirely new spatial experience"—than its footprint would indicate.

That underscores the packaging advantages of a tall and upright hatchback sitting on a dedicated electric-vehicle architecture, as the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV demonstrates.

GM's upcoming electric hatchback contains 94.4 cubic feet of interior volume, more than the Nissan Leaf and roughly equal to that of the far larger Tesla Model S.

Volkswagen Budd-e Concept

While VW calls the ID production car "the first Volkswagen in a completely new fleet of highly innovative electric vehicles," some reports indicate that it may not be the very first dedicated electric vehicle from the brand.

According to the British publication Autocar and other sources, the first of five dedicated electric Volkswagens to go on sale will be a production version of the well-received Budd-e "electric Microbus" shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

The Best EV Lease Deals This Month

Careful shoppers who are patient can often get very attractive lease deals on new cars, as auto makers seek to clear out old inventory or get ready for the release of new models. Inside EVs keep track of such things and shares that information on a regular basis. Leasing an EV is often the lowest cost option. That’s because the $7500 federal tax credit gets deducted from the capitalized cost of the lease right up front. If an individual buys an EV now, he or she won’t get the full benefit of the federal credit until tax time rolls around in 2017

By far the best lease deal this month is on the the 2016 Chevy Spark EV. Not only is it just $129 a month, it requires no money down at signing. Total payments over the 39 month term of the lease total a mere $5,421. Much of that cost will be offset by the money saved from not buying gasoline and performing routine maintenance. As with all leases, pay careful attention to the allowable annual mileage. Exceeding mileage limitations can prove costly when the lease is over and its time to turn the car back to the leasing company.

The Fiat 500e has the next best lease package — $i69 a month for 36 months with a down payment of $1,999 for total payments of $8,083. A 2015 Ford C-Max Energi goes out the door for $227 a month with $3,179 down while a 2016 VW e-Golf can be leased for $149 a month with $2,349 down. Finally, the second generation Chevy Volt is available for $299 a month with no money down. Total cost of that lease is $11,661, which is more than double the cost for a Spark EV. The terms of the Volt lease only apply to customers who do not presently own a General Motors product.

Inside EVs has also uncovered an unadvertised promotion offered by Nissan. Buy a 2016 LEAF, and the company will finance your purchase at 0% interest for 72 months. Qualified buyers will also get an extra $3,000 off the price of the car. Apparently, this offer applies mostly to the base model LEAF S, which does not have the new extended range battery available on SV and SL models. You will need to speak with an authorized Nissan dealer to get all the details.

The bottom line is that you can drive electric for very little money, if you shop around. The Chevy Spark EV is no Tesla Model S, but it has its share of admirers. Here’s the best part. It is rated at 82 miles of range — about the same as the entry level LEAF S. At $129 a month with no money down, that is more than a great deal. It’s an outright steal!

US Pricing For 2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron Announced

I just received an email from a representative of Audi that US pricing for the 2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron has been announced. The MSRP base is $37,900 before the US federal tax credit for electric cars and before any state or local incentives.

The plug-in hybrid e-tron is the first plug-in electric Audi to hit the US market. It has already been on sale in Europe and has been doing quite well there relative to other models.

Some other key stats about the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron are that it produces 204 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque, has a 8.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and 240-volt charging refills the battery in ~2 hours & 15 minutes. (Recharging via a normal 120-volt electricity outlet just takes 8 hours, which is basically quick enough to recharge overnight.) EPA ratings for range and fuel economy haven’t been finalized yet, but will reportedly be announced in the near future.

The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron comes with some smartphone apps that make the electric car just that much more convenient. You can set automatic charging times with it, adjust the climate controls remotely, and (of course) check the status of your car’s charge.

This initial plug-in offering from Audi will hit dealerships in October. While $37,900 is the base MSRP, the “Prestige” package brings that up to $46,800. So, this basically puts it between the Volkswagen e-Golf ($35,445) and the Mercedes B-Class Electric ($41,450) or BMW i3 ($41,350). The US federal tax credit for the e-tron is expected to be $4,168, so a few thousand less than those all-electric models get ($7,500).

I think the e-tron is going to have a harder time finding a good sales rhythm in the US than it has in Europe. For one, the 2016 Chevy Volt is probably its top competitor, and it will offer a lot more electric range (53 miles, compared to <20 a="" and="" e-tron="" for="" href="http://gas2.org/2015/05/04/2016-chevy-volt-priced-at-33995-1175-less-than-2015-model/" lower="" miles="" price="" style="-webkit-transition: 0.8s ease-in-out; color: #3081ee; font-weight: 700; transition: 0.8s ease-in-out;" the="">$33,995

). The e-tron is a little sportier and can get to 60 mph in about 7.6 seconds, perhaps a second faster than the new Volt, and it will of course appeal to those who like the Audi brand, but I think the majority of people interested in a plug-in hybrid will go for the cheaper Volt, Ford Fusion Energi ($33,900), or Ford C-Max Energi ($31,635) — mostly the Volt. But we’ll see, and some extra competition is certainly welcome!… even if it took Audi a few years too long to bring it to market.

Here are some more details on the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron from Audi itself:

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Plug-in hybrid system
The 2016 A3 Sportback e-tron features a 1.4 liter TFSI® engine with a six-speed S tronic® transmission. Combined with a liquid-cooled, permanent magnet-driven electric motor, the A3 e-tron produces 204 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque for impressive off-the-line acceleration and high-end power. An 8.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides electrical energy storage and is packaged beneath the rear seat, allowing for a fully-usable trunk.

Charging and connectivity
The charging connection for the A3 Sportback e-tron is located behind the four rings in the Singleframe® grille. This placement in the front of the vehicle is convenient for charging from a power source on either side of the vehicle and the port is hidden when not in use.

• 240-volt charging quickly replenishes the battery in about 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Vehicle comes standard with 240 volt mobile electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) which can also be used in a common 120-volt outlet
• Recharging through a 120-volt outlet takes approximately 8 hours
• Home installation of a 240-volt outlet and home charging station are optional
• Available smartphone app allows the driver to remotely check on the status of their A3 e-tron. It can be used to check battery status and for “charge planning” – setting times for charging to automatically begin
• The driver can also use the app to adjust climate control remotely for added comfort and energy savings

Unique drive modes
The A3 Sportback e-tron also delivers a four driving choices for motorists, including full battery propulsion and battery recharge mode:

• In EV mode, the vehicle is powered only by the electric motor for a smooth and quiet ride featuring quick acceleration
• Hybrid mode allows the car to intelligently select the most efficient power source – either EV, Hybrid or gasoline
• Hold Battery mode allows hybrid driving while preserving EV range for later use
• Charge Battery mode uses the gasoline engine to recharge the battery while driving at highway speed
• The electric engine can also supplement the gas engine to provide an extra boost of power when desired.

Audi energy offering
To ensure driving an A3 Sportback e-tron is convenient and sustainable, Audi is providing the Audi energy portfolio of products with each vehicle sold. Audi energy includes:

• A standard Audi-designed mobile charging system that works with standard U.S. household outlets or 240-volt service
• The option for professional 240-volt plug installation through Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, which can lower home charging times to around 2.25 hours
• Optional solar power installation with rebates through SunPower
• Audi contributions to environmental conservation programs through 3Degrees to help offset the carbon footprint of every A3 Sportback e-tron sold

Other standard features
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron comes equipped with a wide variety of standard equipment, including.

• Xenon plus high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights
• LED taillights with rear fog lights
• LED interior lighting package
• Power central locking system with radio-operated key fob remote control for doors, tailgate and fuel door with selective unlocking
• Automatic dual-zone climate control
• Three-spoke multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Audi advanced key – keyless start, stop and entry
• Audi drive select
• Rear view camera, with front and rear parking sensors
• Audi pre sense® basic

Design and Body
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron boasts a variety of design features that speak to its sporty and efficient character.

• e-tron specific Singleframe grille, S line front/rear fasciae and side sills, rear bumper with hidden exhaust outlet
• Available full LED headlights
• Available aluminum roof rails
• Panoramic sunroof with retractable sunshade and pinch protection
• 16’’ wheels standard (17” and 18” wheels available)

Interior
The interior of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron comfortably seats 5 passengers. The lithium-ion battery is hidden beneath the rear seat for even more room and luggage capacity in the trunk. Both the driver and passenger have access to a variety of standard and available technology features.

• Cargo area offers 13.6 cu ft. of luggage capacity
• MMI® wheel with optional MMI touch
• Ultra-thin 7’’ MMI screen with available 7” display
• Circular air vents
• Available 3D optic inlays
• e-tron specific shift knob, badging on the dash, instrument cluster and door sills

Powertrain and Performance

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

	Engine	Transmission	Horsepower	Torque	EPA Estimates (City/Highway/Combined mpg)
A3 Sportback e-tron	1.4-liter TFSI FWD PHEV	Six-speed S tronic	204 hp	258 lb-ft.	TBA

EPA fuel economy estimates are not available as of this release.  See fueleconomy.gov. Actual mileage will vary and depend on several factors including driving and charging habits, weather and temperature, battery age, and vehicle condition. Battery capacity decreases with time and use.

Technology
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron raises the bar as to what is expected out of electrified vehicles.

• Sirius XM® Satellite Radio
• Available MMI navigation plus system features 4G LTE based technology, MMI touch, two SD card slots for MP3 files
• The MMI operating system has an electronically extending screen, its terminal housed in the console of the center dashboard. Available touch pad is incorporated into the rotary MMI control wheel, which offers intuitive and simple operation
• NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU) generates complex three-dimensional images used in all online, voice control, media navigation and telephone functions
• A 705 watt 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen Sound System is optional on the A3 Sportback e-tron.

Audi connect
The modular infotainment platform in the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron enhances the experience for Audi drivers and their passengers by providing the benefits of access to information and content, when needed, through interfaces designed for the in-vehicle environment.

• Available Audi connect®, including read aloud Twitter® alerts, access to more than 7,000 Internet broadcast stations, RSS news feeds and more
• MMI navigation plus uses 4G LTE to deliver the tailored services of Audi connect to the driver – from navigation with Google Earth and Google Street View

Driver Assistance
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron offers several advanced technology features, including:

• Standard Audi pre sense basic system which helps detect when an emergency maneuver is being made and prepares the vehicle and its occupant restraint systems in advance of a possible collision
• Available Audi side assist, including lane change assistant, operating at speeds above 19mph and providing visual warnings located in exterior mirror housings
• Standard electronic cruise control with coast, resume and accelerate features
• Available Audi adaptive cruise control with stop & go
• Available Audi active lane assist: when the system detects that the driver is leaving the lane without signaling, the car, through gentle corrective steering efforts, will assist the driver to remain in the lane
• Audi pre sense front: includes brake assist or partial braking when the risk of a collision is detected

Chassis and Suspension
The A3 Sportback e-tron platform provides well-balanced proportions, supplemented by optimized interior space utilization and an improved structure.

• Front suspension is a MacPherson strut design with A-arms and aluminum pivot bearings. It is joined to an aluminum subframe
• The electromechanically assisted steering system operates sensitively and efficiently together with various assistance systems, while reducing mechanical drag for greater efficiency
• In the four-link rear suspension, which utilizes a steel cross member, the springs and shock absorbers are mounted separately
• The electronic stability control (ESC) also includes an electronic differential lock and secondary collision brake assist.
• When driving through curves, it can brake the inside front wheel very slightly to help minimize understeer and improve traction

Pricing detail
Model year 2016 A3 Sportback e-tron starting manufacturer suggested retail prices:
(Excluding destination charge, taxes, title, options and dealer charges)

Model	Premium	Premium Plus	Prestige
Audi A3 Sportback e-tron 1.4 liter TFSI FWD PHEV	$37,900	$42,000	$46,800

Prices above exclude destination charges ($925), taxes, title, optional equipment, and dealer charges. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is available only at participating Audi dealers. Dealer sets actual price.

Federal tax credits are available only to qualifying taxpayers that purchase a new Audi A3 e-tron vehicle, and are not be available to lease customers.  Qualifications for state incentives will vary.  All tax credits and incentives are subject to change.  Please consult a tax professional for advice.  This content does not constitute tax advice.

For more information on the 2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron please visit www.audiusa.com.

Always pay careful attention to the road, and do not drive while distracted.

Volkswagen Cuts Price Of e-Golf With New Limited Edition

One of the factors keeping electric cars from going mainstream is their price. On average, an electric car costs about $10,000 more than an equivalent gasoline powered model. To help combat sticker shock, Volkswagen has introduced a new Limited Edition e-Golf that retails for $33,450 — about $2,000 less than the SEL Premium version.

VW had to take some things away to get the price down, but none are items that people can’t live without. 16″ steel wheels with hubcaps have been substituted for the allow wheels found on the SEL Premium, halogen headlights replace LED lighting, cloth substitutes for leatherette in the interior and the Limited Edition omits the heat pump system found on the upmarket car.

After all the changes, the e-Golf Limited Edition leases for $229 a month, which seems quite low for a car that costs $33,450. Keep in mind that when an electric car is leased, the $7500 federal tax credit goes to the manufacturer and not the customer, so the adjusted price of the e-Golf is $25,950.

Don’t get the idea that the e-Golf Limited Edition is some de-contented strippo special that has to hide its shame by parking out behind the dealership. It still includes lots of goodness such as

- KESSY® keyless access with push-button start
– Navigation system
– LED Daytime Running Lights
– Climatronic® automatic dual-zone climate control system
– Electronic parking brake
– Electrically heated windshield
– Automatic headlights and wipers
– Rearview camera
– Front and rear Park Distance Control

And of course it has the same 83 miles of range as the SEL model as well as a 7.2 kW built-in fast charger that can give the 20 kWh battery an 80% charge in 30 minutes or less. It also has the same 115 horsepower electric motor with 199 lb-ft of torque for spirited driving. In fact, the e-Golf is the most fuel-efficient compact car in the U.S. according to the EPA. Volkswagen also teamed up with BMW and ChargePoint to roll out a nationwide network of EV fast chargers for customers to use.

Only a major breakthrough in battery technology will make it possible for pure electric cars to compete head to head with conventional cars on price. Until that happens, the e-Golf is one of the best electric car values on the market.

2015 Volkswagen e-Golf

Until now, the only way you could get the words "electric" and "Golf" so close together was the put the word "cart" after them. Knowing that the e-Golf would be the next step in Volkswagen's tilt at electrification, the automaker designed the MkVII platform to fit a myriad of drivetrains, none of which would require purchasers to sacrifice the Golf-ness that makes the best-selling car in Europe, not to mention a huge hit here in the States. In the e-Golf that means power electronics underhood and an amoeba-shaped battery that fits in the floorpan, between the axles, where it won't ooze into the interior space.

We look at the e-Golf as another kind of crossover: traditional cars that just happen to be electric, offering a taste of the new EV religion in soothing, recognizable garb. We had one for a week in its natural habitat, Los Angeles and the surrounding area. We really like the fact that, powertrain aside, it maintains everything we dig about the Golf. The caveat is that this is an EV first and a Golf second – you must first address the EV challenges and live within EV constraints, then you can enjoy the Golf bits. Even so, it's the electric car this writer would buy once we acquired the lifestyle to make proper use of it.

The most noticeable exterior change to the e-Golf are 16-inch Astana wheels wrapped in 205-series tires that reduce rolling resistance by ten percent. Once you've cottoned on to that, the other alterations become apparent: the blue trim strip underlining the radiator grille, the redesigned bumper with the C-shaped decoration LED lights and the full-LED headlamps above them, the little blue "e" in the model name on the rear hatch. You won't notice the underbody paneling, that the frontal area of the e-Golf is ten percent smaller than that of a traditional Golf, that the radiator is closed off, or the reshaped rear spoiler and vanes on the C-pillars. Volkswagen says this results in a ten-percent drop in drag, getting the coefficient down to 0.281, but the standard Golf is also listed at 0.28. The TSI and TDI are 0.29. No matter those numbers, the point is the e-Golf looks just like... a Golf.

The 12,000-rpm, 85-kW electric motor equates to 115 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, which compares to 146 hp and 236 lb-ft from the 2.0-liter diesel Golf. It takes 4.2 seconds to get to 37 miles per hour, 10.4 seconds to hit 62 mph, and the little guy tops out at 87 mph. That sounds like slacker acceleration, but it never feels that way – you can pull away from a light with the rest of traffic, and any time you need a squirt, 199 lb-ft of instant torque is there to woosh you forward.



The interior gets a few more tweaks, all still subtle. The upholstery treatment is leatherette seats and surfaces with gray and black trim, and the list of standard equipment is lengthy. Buyers get parking heater/ventilation, six-inch touchscreen radio and nav, a heated windscreen, leather steering wheel, and a leather gear knob as part of the standard e-Golf package. In the dash cluster there's a power display on the left instead of a tachometer, and a gauge in the speedometer displays the amount of charge in the battery. Between the two dials is a color display presenting data like range, regenerative braking level and charge time. Subscribe to the Car-Net service and you'll get features like remote battery charging and climate control operation.

The EV maintains its interior Golf-ness because the 24.2-kWh lithium-ion battery is shaped to fit between the axles in the floor of the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform. These 264 cells are grouped into 27 modules and laid out in a structure that looks like a bizarro Jell-O mold, but it's what makes the e-Golf a Golf that just happens to be electric. Of the car's 3,391-pound curb weight, 700 pounds of that is the battery, located way down at the bottom. Center of gravity is the obvious beneficiary, along with cabin spaciousness.

With a suspension tweaked to handle the extra weight, the electric hatchback also maintains its driving Golf-ness. It's stable, it's peppy, and it's not afraid of cornering – keeping in mind it rides on a narrow footprint. The electric and mechanical braking systems worked together imperceptibly. Outside of hard acceleration and engine noise, you'd struggle to find it missing anything from the traditional Golf experience.

Additional driver involvement comes from working through the driving and brake regen modes, should you wish. There are three driving profiles: Normal – which the car always starts in – Eco, and Eco+. Eco modes put a dent in power usage, though. The motor output drops to 94 hp, pull-away torque is reduced to 162 lb-ft, throttle response is scaled back, A/C output is reduced, and the top speed drops to 71 mph. Eco+ bangs that down further: motor output becomes 74 hp, pull-away torque is 129 lb-ft, the A/C is turned off, and the top speed is 56 mph.

There are four levels of regenerative braking after the default, D, which has no regen. Tapping the gear lever to the left or right hops you through the D levels – D1, D2, D3, and B – while pulling back (where "Sport" would be on a traditional Golf) puts you into B, the strongest level. It's a game that gets fun to play, timing your braking as you coast to a stoplight, figuring out which level will get you stationary when and where you need to be without touching the brake pedal.

We really like the Volkswagen e-Golf. This author has never had an electric car for an extended-loan daily driver before, and we quickly discovered that it's not something you just jump into – it needs planning. It also needs a certain kind of lifestyle, which we don't have. We can't access or park near the only outlet in our apartment garage. Even if we could, the one time we tried to charge with a 115-volt outlet, with about four miles of range left, the car informed us it would take almost 17 hours to fill up. Nor do we have a day job, so we miss out on a regular set of hours in one location to plug in. Our lifestyle is as compatible with an electric car as beer and toothpaste, so for a few days we pretended to have office hours at the Santa Monica Public Library, just to get some juice.

On the days we stayed in LA proper, everything was good – you're always going to find a charge station nearby and plenty of options for passing time during a quick boost. The average day is an electric breeze in this car, although you do have to prep for getting over canyon passes here - doing the 8.5 miles over the San Fernando Mountains needs a lot more than 8.5 miles of range, because 4.5 miles of it is uphill.

But the day we had to make a 110-mile round trip drive to Irvine, well, that was more of an adventure than we planned. We started with 72 miles of range, but steady-state cruising at 65 miles per hour does no favors for electric cars, and we watched the range drop until we had 20 miles left and 20 miles to go to get to our destination. Having planned ahead, we lunched at a mall while the car drank up. We stayed off the highway after that, but the Orange County surface streets we needed were like downscaled highways, with 40-mph speed limits and long stretches between lights, so range still suffered.



We plugged into a wall outlet for five hours while in Irvine and started home with 39 miles of range, knowing we'd have to stop somewhere. The e-Golf navigation maps every nearby charging station, even the ones you can't use. That's how you end up cruising a residential neighborhood on reduced power, with one mile of range left, heading for a charge point that a security guard will tell you is on private university grounds, so you put on your nice face and convince him to let you plug in for 30 minutes so you can reach the ChargePoint station four miles hence. ChargePoints aren't as thick on the ground in the area as we had thought, and obviously, we hadn't done enough planning – nor charging – ahead of time. The blame is entirely ours, not the car's.

When asked to do what it's meant to do, and given the juice to do it, the e-Golf is excellent – and why wouldn't it be? It's a Golf. If we wanted a second car for a city runabout – after our, yes, go-anywhere-there's-gas ICE car – and were determined to go electric, this would be the one. The e-Golf is priced at $35,445, excluding $820 for destination, so the Nissan Leaf is $6,400 less dear (after tax credits for both). That's not a little bit of money, agreed, but the Leaf isn't as handsome, roomy, fun, or nice as the e-Golf. The Chevy Spark EV is only $500 less expensive but an even bigger compromise. The Ford Focus Electric is fine to look at but more expensive for no good reason. The Chevy Spark EV is about $8,000 less expensive, but nothing like the Golf except that it's electric. The BMW i3 and Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric are in different price brackets.

The Ford Focus Electric is fine to look at and $6,000 less expensive, a compelling amount in cars that aren't that far apart. We like the look, feel, and ride of the VW better, but it would be hard to tell someone else to simply ignore the difference. As far as this writer's concerned, the e-Golf is it. Once we got a home charger. Or a day job.


Source: Autoblog