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New Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive goes in to production

The first Mercedes B-Class ED (pictured) rolls off the production line in Rastatt With the BMW i3 grabbing headlines – and flying out of showrooms – as BMW’s first electric car, Mercedes need to play catch-up with a convincing EV of their own, and that’s the new B-Class Electric Drive – an EV version of the regular B-Class – which has now gone in to production in Germany. Built alongside regular ICE versions of the B-Class at Mercedes’ Rastatt Plant, the B-Class ED (Electric Drive) looks practically the same as its more conventionally powered siblings – although the front bumper does look a bit different – and has an electric motor good for 177 bhp and 250 lb/ft of torque, can manage a scoot to 62 mph in 7.9 seconds and has a range of up to 124 miles. The range – at least the quoted range – is a chunk better than the BMW i3′s and on a par with the latest Nissan LEAF, thanks to EV technology provided by Tesla, and the wrapping of an EV drivetrain in a conventional series production car could appeal to more buyers than the ‘statement’ design of the BMW i3.

Ford Mondeo [w/Gallery]

The new Ford Mondeo will make its debut at the Paris motor show in sedan, hatchback and wagon formats. The European version of the Fusion adds two new variants to the flagship the global D-segment platform. It will also be offered as a petrol Hybrid Electric Vehicle – a first for Ford in Europe.

Honda peps up the Insight hybrid car (2010)

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 19 July 2010 10:20 Honda is perking up the Insight hybrid petrol-electric car this autumn in response to customer feedback. In particular, the new 2010 Insight gets mods to the suspension to improve the ride and a few more luxurious cabin trimmings. It seems that Honda's taken some flak over the way the Insight drives, and engineers have focused on improving the Insight's ride comfort and refinement.