Mercedes to bring 100 hydrogen fuel-cell cars to the United States

Mercedes-Benz will launch a production hydrogen fuel cell car in the United States next year based on its subcompact B class currently sold in Europe.

Of the 200 B-class fuel cell cars produced, about 100 will go to the United States, primarily in California where there are hydrogen filling stations, Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member for r&d, said Tuesday at the Frankfurt auto show.

“They will go to private customers,” Weber said.

The cars will be leased, but terms have not been finalized, Weber said. “We are going into a small volume production and at least half will go to the United States as fast as they have enough infrastructure,” he said.

Weber said the B-class fuel cell car will have a range of 250 miles before requiring a fill up. It takes about three minutes to refuel the car.

The B class is the current-generation car, not the vehicle being considered for sale in the United States in two to three years.

The car has a hydrogen motor and a small electric battery.

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