2010 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Fuel-Cell is on its Way

The B-Class F-CELL will be the first series vehicle with a local, zero-emission fuel-cell drive and it is set to commence production in early 2010. The compact car is powered by an optimised fuel-cell system that Mercedes-Benz first presented in 2005 in the F 600 HYGENIUS concept. While the newly designed “stack” for the fuel cell module, is roughly 40 percent smaller compared to previous generation systems, it generates 30 percent greater power, along with a 16 percent reduction in consumption compared to the A-Class F-Cell.

The electric motor develops a maximum output of 136 hp and a maximum torque of 320 Nm which promise to give better acceleration figures than a B-Class fitted with a standard 2.0-litre petrol engine. At the same time, the zero-emission fuel-cell drive uses the equivalent of just 2.9 litres of fuel (diesel equivalent) per 100 km.

But before we get to see the fuel-cell powered B-Class on the road, Mercedes-Benz has to subject the vehicle to rigorous testing in order to get things right. Over the past few months, the German carmaker’s engineers took the B-Class F-CELL up to northern Sweden where they completed the winter part of the tests. - Continued after the jump

The main goal of the German carmaker in these tests was to focus on the interaction between the different components under real-life winter conditions at double-digit, below-zero (Celsius) temperatures. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz also used the winter tests to adapt the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to the special requirements of a fuel-cell vehicle. A special feature in this context is that an electric motor exhibits different speed governing behaviour to that of standard combustion engines.