Mercedes-Benz is the first manufacturer to bring a fuel-cell powered, certified Zero Emission Vehicle to the roads with the 2011 B-Klasse F-CELL. The car has an operating range of about 400 km (about 250 miles) and has considerably shorter refueling times compared to other Zero Emission alternatives, such as electric vehicles.
The fuel-cell drive system is virtually the same as in the A-Klasse F-CELL that has been under testing on American roads since 2004. The new system has been optimized and is now 40 percent smaller than its predecessor, but delivers 30 percent more power while consuming 30 percent less fuel.
The new fuel cell vehicle offers everything that people expect from a Mercedes-Benz: high comfort and safety as well as no reduction in interior space and boot capacity. With a peak power of 100 kW (136 hp) and a maximum torque of 290 Nm (214 lb-ft) available at 0 rpm, the B-Klasse F-CELL doesn't sacrifice driving pleasure and stops at nothing to deliver the same impressive dynamic handling properties that Mercedes-Benz drivers are accustomed to.
Despite its remarkable performance, the B-Klasse F-CELL consumes the equivalent of just 3.3 liters of diesel per 100 km (71 mpg US / 86 mpg UK) and is fully refueled in just 3 minutes.
Mercedes-Benz is involved in the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), which is an association of automakers, energy suppliers, government agencies and technology developers, all having the common goal of pushing fuel-cell powered vehicles into mass production and, eventually, into commercialization.
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