German Car Forum

sketches of what is being touted as the concept of the next Mercedes-Benz B-Class have been released by German magazine, Autobild.

According to reports, the car will be shown at the Detroit Motor Show in January for the first time.

Called "Concept BlueZero", the all-electric concept is meant to give us an idea of what to expect when the all-new B-Class is released in 2010. A fuel cell-powered variant - E-Cell - is expected to form part of the line-up, a first for a Mercedes-Benz production model.

According to the manufacturer, the new generation fuel cell, which uses lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor, will be more compact than existing systems and will offer better performance.

It is also claimed that the 100 kW, 320 Nm fuel cell model will be quicker to 100 km/h than a standard 2.0-litre petrol unit. It should be capable of covering 100 km on a two-hour charge, according to reports.

An extended range model, E-Cell Plus, sees the addition of an internal combustion engine to extend the range to about 600 km.

While a hydrogen-powered variant is also expected to be displayed, it's unlikely all off these options will be made available when the next-generation B-Class makes its appearance in 2010.

We'll definitely learn more when the concept is unveiled at Detroit

Sorry Farouk, but it's a repost!

Mercedes Studie Concept BluZero

Yes, ...

And you can see (mind flame surfacing) it's developed in cooperation with BMW.

LOL!