Mercedes-Benz will produce 500 E-Cell A-Class models with electric technology and will reveal the new car at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The A-Class electric production comes after collaboration with Tesla Motors and the car will be ready for market early next year. The A-Class uses Tesla battery packs and controllers resulting in a range of 200 km and torque of about 290 Nm.

Further technical details are to be released on September 15 but so far the battery is Tesla’s original 40 kW unit with 4,000 cells. According to reports, performance could even overtake that of the standard, petrol-driven A-Class. Given the conservative nature of the company, it was apparently Tesla who pushed to produce the model, providing proof of concept from the outset by procuring an A-Class (which are not available in the US) and developing a prototype.

While Mercedes had already produced the Smart ForTwo Electric, we think an A-Class electric could be an alternative to the struggling microcar brand, although it won’t be going mainstream. Instead, the E-Cell A-Class will be reserved for fleets and private customers interested in a Daimler electric vehicle. But if the Smart electric is too small and there’s a market out there, this will be one to watch in the future.

Source | New York Times

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