Mercedes C-Class or BMW 3 Series? E versus 5, S over 7? These are the usual questions petrolheads ask each other, to judge where their allegiances lie. It’s either one or the other, with little to no middle ground. Soon, a new battle/question will arise, between the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive and BMW i3.
Actually, no, petrolheads won’t be asking that question as neither vehicle runs on the oily stuff. Technicalities aside though, the new age clash of the titans on the electric front shapes the future of automobiles as we know it. Or at least they say it will.
By the time Mercedes’ entry arrives in the market next year, it will be a year late to the party. No surprise, then, that Daimler R&D boss Thomas Weber is already firing warning shots against the electric BMW, saying that Mercedes’ offering is better in “all key criteria.” Talk about blowing one’s own trumpet.
Weber told German publication Automobilwoche that the B-Class Electric Drive will have five seats with an uncompromised boot space, a range of 200 km that can be achieved in “normal daily use,” top speed of 160 km/h and more than 300 Nm of torque. That compares favourably next to the i3’s four seats, 190 km range, 150 km/h top speed and 250 Nm.
Mercedes will have to concede though, that the smaller and lighter i3 is the faster accelerating vehicle, capable of getting from 0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds compared to the Merc’s 7.9 seconds. Tit for tat, really, a classic game of German one-upmanship.
Their biggest difference, over everything else, is their appearance. One looks like a standard car while the other just doesn’t. Should an electric car really look like one? That’s your choice to make.
Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive
BMW i3
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The i3 was built from the ground up to be electric, the Merc was first built as a petrol/diesel car. The layout is very conventional, the only thing being a battery beneath passenger area (which does make sense). How could they have fitted it there? What is in that place in the fossil fuel version? Also the engine looks surprisingly big, you don’t have a frunk (front trunk), … To get the range despite the much higher innitial weight, they must have fitted it with a rather big battery, which makes the car even heavier. Better ride comfort, not so good handling?
Also keep in mind that for a few k more you can buy the i3 with a range extender option, which basically gives it unlimited range for emergency cases when you do need to drive further. So while the Merc may get you a bit further with the battery alone, when you are stranded, you are stranded. That’s it. The i3 gives you peace of mind by just letting you start the petrol engine to charge up the battery.
Basically I have no doubt the i3 will be a better car… and it has a nicer interior. The exterior however…
How about charging hours from 1% to 100%?
Yeah, way the go Mercedes,lets pawned the Beemer..
Niche market in Malaysia. What do target customers want?
No need to brag, please put it into action. At least BMW is dedicated to the project and already started selling the vehicle. You can play catch up, but do it in a more humble way please.
i am sorry merc, you have missed out one very key criteria, the look. while i3’s look might not win it a pageant crown, B-class look is even worse and more bland. and should i invest such an amount of money into electric car, i would have something that looks cooler and more unique, so that people will start asking what car is that, instead of “you sure it’s an electric car ah??” over and over again when i told them that is indeed an electric car.
I don’t think BMW should be afraid.
What do you expect Daimler R&D chief to say, say BMW is better than Merc?
Is this trend continues, soon there will be an A-Class Electric Drive and eventually we will have
petrol, diesel or electric for all models :D
i test drove the petrol version of b class. its a horribly bumpy car with an absolute brass band of noise at mid-high speeds. Even exoras and preves are quieter and more comfortable compared to it. And knowing bmw, while comfort might not be their forte, handling certainly is. of course, i have not tried the i3, so, just a speculative opinion here.