Mercedes-Benz has released some of the vital details and images of its upcoming trio of Concept BlueZERO vehicles headed for Detroit in January.

MB explains that its first model, the all-electric E-CELL, is good for over 190 kilometres on a single charge, thanks to its lithium-ion battery pack, while an extended range model, the second in the trio, is capable of 592 kilometres. The extended range vehicle utilities a three-cylinder petrol engine from a Smart ForTwo to achieve the marked increase in total range capability.

The last model in the innovative lineup is the BlueZERO F-Cell which is powered exclusively by a hydrogen fuel-cell and is capable of almost 400 kilometres on a single tank.

All three models use the same 100kW electric motor and need eleven-seconds to reach 100km/h from standstill. An electronically-limited top speed of just under 150km/h is also achievable.

All three models share the same sandwich-architecture utilised in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class which allows the entire drive-train to be located beneath the cabin, rather than in a conventional front-engine or rear-engine layout. This increases available cargo and occupant space to levels not readily available on vehicles of this size.

Given the images provided and the concept status of the vehicles, it’s likely that the futuristic styling seen here will be on show in Detroit. While there’s little doubt that most of this would be shed on any production vehicles, the overall shape and proportions should be an indication of things to come from Mercedes-Benz. We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available nearing Detroit.

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