Electric Blue’ is the future for Mercedes

Meet the hybrid that will lead Mercedes’ green charge at Frankfurt. Called the BlueZERO E-Cell Plus, it’s based on the firm’s A and B-Class cars.

Power is from the same 67bhp (50kWh), 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine found in the Smart, and this will share its duties with an electric unit.

Delivering an impressive 94bhp (70kWh) and 320Nm of torque, Mercedes claims the electric motor will do 0-60mph in under 11 seconds, courtesy of its lithium ion battery, which is recharged by a generator mated to a petrol engine.

The car’s top speed is 93mph – this is limited to increase the BlueZERO’s range. The electric Merc will be trying to go further on a charge than the upcoming Vauxhall Ampera.

Mercedes says that the car will travel 62 miles using battery power, and that a full charge from a household plug will take only 30 minutes.

But when in ‘range extender’ mode, which utilises the petrol and electric motors, the distance increases to 373 miles. The BlueZero E-Cell is set go on sale in limited numbers next year.

Mercedes Benz Concept BlueZERO E CELL