2015 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Hatchback 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
Review
#1 is this is a city or commuting car not a Holliday car. It has about a 100 mile range and no level 3 charging capability. Instant power, would be a formidable stop light racer. #2 it is all Mercedes and what you would expect from Mercedes. Love all the technology (you will see lots of electronic controls as you open various doors and hatches) and if I could add one improvement it would be a touch screen - I am so used to my iPad that I want to use my fingers. #3 To me at 5’ 10” and 250 lbs the seat could be an inch wider. Run flat Mitchelin tires so no spare and storage room under the rear deck where the spare would normally be. #4 Items not installed that I believe help define a Mercedes. No control to lower and stow the rear headrests. No tool kit. Miniscule first-aid kit. #5 Safety, all the usuall items like ABS, traction control,stability control, radar assisted interval control, etc. However this is so neat. The car essentially weighs you, calculates your height from you foot position, and in an accident scenario will independently tighten you seat belt with an explosive charge, the deploy the airbags in a sequence to best protect you. Driver and passenger each has four airbags.
2015 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Hatchback 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
Review
I was looking for an affordable electric car but wanted something family-friendly as I have 2 small children. I comparison shopped versus both the Nissan LEAF and the BMW i3, but the Mercedes won out because it has by far the best rear seat access and room (especially versus the ridiculously small i3). I wound up getting a 2014 model for a steep discount (purchased in January 2015). The car has been a pleasure to drive with instantly responsive acceleration that is utterly addicting and belies its Tesla drivetrain. Ride quality is a little stiff for what should be an entry-level luxury car. Interior fit and finish is comparable to other Mercedes; i.e., solid and rich-feeling. I did not opt for the premium navigation package, and the basic one is a little disappointing. Reliability hasn't been an issue - an earlier software glitch caused some cars (not mine) to suddenly shift into neutral at highway speeds; this has since been patched. Most importantly, it handles car seats and family cargo better than any other pure electric car that isn't a Tesla (if I could have afforded one of those, I'd be driving that instead).
Update 2017: No problems so far! The car still drives well and the electric battery hasn't degraded appreciably - my range is still about the same. I have noticed that (like other electric vehicles) the range drops precipitously in freezing weather, especially if I use the heater (it has to burn electricity to generate heat, unlike an internal combustion engine car which uses waste heat to warm the cabin). I will say that the range indicator or "guess-o-meter" is extremely pessimistic, which can be a little scary sometimes. I've driven about 25 additional miles when it has said I was down to single-digit range. I guess it's better for it to be conservatively pessimistic than the other way around. I will point out though, that unlike my friends who drive Nissan LEAFs or Teslas, I have no high-voltage DC current quick-charge on the B-class. It's not even an available option. This means that it takes a full 4 hours to charge from completely empty (on a level 2 public charger or a dryer outlet at home), which makes the car utterly unable to do any kind of road trip. This car really is for local commuting only.
2015 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Hatchback 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
Review
With federal and state incentives as well as Mercedes trying to move he lady of the 2015 models, we were able to lease a new 2015 B Electric for less than what we could have for an economy car. The car feels like a Mercedes though the narrow wheels combine with vehicle weight, means that road holding and breaking performance is not great. The range extender model gives us just over 100 miles when needed. This is our first electric car and we will never go back to internal combustion engines. Looking forward to EVs with 200 mile ranges that are more affordable.
2015 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Hatchback 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
Review
I bought my 2015 Electric Drive in November, 2015. Delivery was delayed due to a recall concerning drive system software. This was updated, and I have had no problems with the drive train. I currently own two BMWs, and I am impressed with the quality of the Mercedes. I bought the 250 Electric Drive for commuting and local trips around the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. After 2500 miles, it has fully met my expectations, and it has been very enjoyable to drive in day to day traffic. It has a Tesla supplied drive system, which gives excellent acceleration driving around town, especially from stoplights. I wanted a high quality, utilitarian small SUV electric car for driving locally, and this car has been perfect. I did not want: An ugly car (Leaf), a weird, futuristic car (BMW), a medium sized hatchback (VW), (Kia Soul) or a very expensive car (Tesla). It is nice to have several choices, and I made mine. Compared to a Tesla Model S, the battery is smaller, and the range is less; I feel that I got half of a Tesla for half the price of a Tesla. The Mercedes does have a stiff ride. I did not buy it as a luxury car, so I don't care. The Mercedes is heavier than the other electric cars that it is compared to, but it also has much more utility and is better quality. My only complaint is that the car did not come with a DC quick charge port. This is not an issue in driving around town, but it would be very useful for road trips. If you want an electric car that can do it all, buy a Tesla Model S or Model X. If you can't afford one of these, you must decide how you want to use the car and set your priorities, then purchase the car that best fits your needs.
2015 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Hatchback 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
Review
We took delivery of our brand new 2015 B-Class Electric at the end of June, by the end of the first week it had already had to go back to the dealership twice. There is a major safety issue with this vehicle. The vehicle will tend to stall and shut down while driving. It will give no warning when this happens. As you are driving, it will go to full Regen mode and you cannot do anything until you come to a complete stop, turn off the car then you can restart the vehicle and go on your way. Try doing that when you get stuck on the freeway. It is now back at the dealer for a third time for this problem!! Supposedly, Mercedes will performing a recall for this issue. They state that it is a software issue. We really enjoyed this car, and I think the EV's will be the future. However, this car will not be in our future as we started the buyback process
This car has some really nice features and the fit and finish are really good. There are some features which are seriously lacking for an EV, especially a Mercedes. First, no Quick Charge port or capability. Not even a option for it!! The app that is supplied for this car has to be one of the worst apps ever. Most of the time it does not work and when it does, the information is incorrect. There is no possible way to set charging times inside the vehicle. Also, there is nothing built into the car showing that the car is charging. No is no type of LED light on the dash or by the charge port showing that the car is charging.
It is too bad that Mercedes came up with this half-baked attempt at a Electric Vehicle. It does not speak well for both Mercedes or Tesla. Tesla makes the Battery and powertrain for the B-Class. Since they have parted ways, Tesla offers little to no support to Mercedes for any service issues. That is way they are buying back my vehicle, Mercedes cannot figure out what is going on.
There are better choices out there for Electric vehicles, it just too bad that most of them are so ugly, i.e BMW i3, Nissan Leaf!!