A little less than a month ago, I talked about the information leaking that the Mercedes-Benz BlueZero F-Cell Concept would be unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Now this has come to fruition.
The Mercedes BlueZero F-Cell is a fuel cell vehicle based on the B-class body style and built in a modular style so that Benz could just as easily install an all electric drive system (or E-Cell) or plug-in hybrid electric system (E-Plus Cell) sandwiched underneath the floorboard.
All three systems are 5-seat vehicles with front wheel drive and a 0 to 60 mph acceleration of less than 11 seconds. With an 81 mpg equivalent fuel rating this means that pulling up to the hydrogen pump will only cost 3 gallons (1 kg equals 1 gal.) for a fill up of hydrogen.
Unlike most other concepts that are rolled out at auto shows, year in and out, that never see the light of a showroom floor, the Mercedes-Benz BlueZero F-Cell is different. Expect to see a limited rollout beginning later in 2009.