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Hydrogen sandwich. Image by Mercedes-Benz.

Hydrogen sandwich
The F-CELL might look like an ordinary B-Class, but underneath it's a fuel cell powered, near-production ready machine.

   



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| First Drive | Stuttgart, Germany | Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL |

If it wasn't for the stickers you wouldn't give this Mercedes-Benz B-Class a second glance. The livery gives some indication that this is no ordinary B-Class - either that or it's advertising some obscure new battery brand perhaps. The F-CELL stickers highlight that, in this B-Class's sandwich floor nestles a hydrogen-powered fuel cell and a battery instead of a combustion engine and fuel tank. That makes this about the most expensive B-Class imaginable: it's worth more than anything else on the Mercedes-Benz production car inventory - and we're including Maybachs in that...

In the Metal

Put simply, it's a B-Class with stickers. The B-Class has never really won many fans here, its A-Class relative doing much the same job for a bit less money. The A-Class arguably looks better too. This B-Class F-CELL is a bit different. It replaces Mercedes' A-Class F-CELL vehicle and it's fitted with a new fuel cell that is some 40 percent smaller, 30 percent more powerful and around 15 percent more efficient. So forget the B-Class's slightly odd looks and instead concentrate on the science bit that's stuffed into its clever sandwich floor.

What you get for your Money

Being the most expensive B-Class imaginable you might anticipate an interior swathed in the world's finest leather, diamond encrusted instrumentation and gold threads in the carpets. You'll be disappointed, as this mega-money B-Class all about the futuristic technology powering it. So for your money - if indeed you could buy it - you get the latest in fuel cell technology: a hydrogen powered module that provides electricity direct to the motors with a battery back up for additional boost - and for storing scavenged energy from braking or coasting. It might not look like much, but it's a real Dan Dare future machine under its familiar, rather ungainly lines.

Driving it

Given how much it's worth and the sort of space-age technology it's packing turning the key of the F-CELL is a bit disappointing. There's no noise, just some indication on the instruments that it's ready to go. Pop the gearlever in drive and off it goes: no fuss, no surprises, just silent forward motion until the speed rises enough to generate some road and wind noise. With its combined output from the fuel cell and small lithium ion battery equivalent to 136bhp, the F-CELL's performance is quite respectable - especially given it's hauling an additional 300kg of weight around beneath the floor. It'll reach 62mph in 11.4 seconds and if you're in a hurry it'll easily pass 100mph.

Quick enough to keep up with traffic, its silence makes it easy to carry more speed than you realise. With German police out in force doing speed checks it's more than once we're regenerating the battery (braking heavily) to wash off the speed the F-CELL so easily achieves. Mercedes' chaperone suggests that the F-CELL's additional low down weight helps the handling, though really if you're looking for a car to fling around bends you should look elsewhere, as the B-Class is not noted for its dynamic flair.

It is useful though, decently appointed and thanks to its twin floor construction, the fuel cell powertrain has zero impact on the space offered inside - for both passengers and luggage. It really is just like a conventional B-Class to drive, except for the nagging realisation that if you crash it the insurance excess might be a decade or two's income...

Worth Noting

The fuel cell is a very clever bit of kit, it using hydrogen to create electricity with the only by-product being water. There's a battery under the floor too, but it's for storing any energy regenerated from braking or coasting. It also seamlessly adds power if you push the accelerator to the floor in an effect similar to kick-down in a conventional auto. Unlike other electric cars you don't need to plug in the F-CELL, it covering around 250miles on 4 kg of hydrogen. Thing is, when did you last see hydrogen at your local Tescos forecourt?

Summary

The B-Class F-CELL is near production ready and so Mercedes is likely to lease a few to businesses to evaluate real-world use. The technology it uses remains expensive though and there's also the serious lack of hydrogen filling stations to get over, but the F-CELL proves that the technology works - rather well indeed.

Kyle Fortune - 29 Jul 2009



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2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.

2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.  


2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell prototype. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 






 

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