First Collision

Mercedes-Benz Debuts All-Electric Luxury Sedan

Earlier this year, you may have seen a spoof on the Saturday Night Live television show about an electric car powered by AA batteries. In a fake ad narrated by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the comedienne-actress introduced the so-called “Mercedes AA Class.”  

Powered by 9,648 AA batteries that wrap around the car, Louis-Dreyfus said the AA class can reach top speeds of 52 mph and the fictional vehicle doesn’t require a plug or charge station. Here are some exciting facts about this new all-electric solution from Mercedes, brought to you by all of us at First Collision.

Mercedes is in fact planning to introduce a new type of sedan. However, unlike the Mercedes AA Class featured in the parody on SNL, this Mercedes isn’t powered by the Energizer Bunny.

It’s no surprise that electric cars are making headlines. With the huge success of the electric carmaker Tesla Motors, the electric automobile industry is evolving at a rapid pace. In addition to Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Porsche are also in the race to compete with Tesla.

Mercedes debuted its B-Class electric hatchback in 2014, which uses a battery pack and drive train from Tesla. It has a lithium-ion battery pack and can travel 87 miles on a single charge.

Rumors about Mercedes’ “EcoLuxe” project have circulated for the last few years. The company’s reported $2 billion investment in this program uses EVA technology (Electric Vehicle Architecture). It is an offshoot of the MRA rear-drive platform used in the German manufacturer’s C-Class and S-Class.

Following the approval of EVA by Mercedes’ board of directors, the company is planning to launch four luxury EV vehicles, according to industry reports. The first, a sedan, is scheduled to be released in 2018, a year earlier than expected in order to compete with the Audi Q6 e-Tron Quattro and the Porsche Mission e, both expected to be introduced in 2018. 

Five Highlights About the Mercedes All-Electric Sedan: 

1. The five-seat sedan will be built in Bremen, North Germany and it is expected to be between the size of a C & E Class.
2. Weighing 880 pounds, the battery will be installed on the bottom of the vehicle.
3. Industry reports say that the new sedan would have a range of 180 to 250 miles.
4. The price of the new sedan is expected to cost approximately $102,000 to $118,000.
5. Mercedes is targeting to sell 20,000 of each style of vehicle, according to automotive aficionados.

A mid-sized crossover utility vehicle is expected to follow the debut of the sedan in 2017. In addition, a larger version of both vehicles, according to industry reports, will also be introduced at a later date. So, you may not see many of them here in Baytown, TX right away, but hopefully very soon. As Mercedes steps up to seize their luxury spot in the EV world, get ready for great advancements and planet-saving innovations from one of the world's premier nameplates.

Sources: Green Car Reports, UK Car Magazine and Auto Tech News