---
title: "Mercedes-Benz Discontinues the B-Class Electric Drive"
description: "The only B-Class available in the U.S. is getting unplugged."
date: "2017-08-01"
modified: "2017-08-01"
authors:
  - name: "Eric Brandt"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/eric-brandt"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/13097/mercedes-benz-discontinues-the-b-class-electric-drive"
categories:
  - "Mercedes-Benz News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "B-Class"
  - "Daimler"
  - "Discontinued"
  - "Electric"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "EQ"
  - "EV"
  - "Mercedes-Benz"
---

# Mercedes-Benz Discontinues the B-Class Electric Drive

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/08/2015-b-class-ev-gallery-001-goe-d.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Due to slow sales, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive will be phased out by the end of this year, according to *[Automotive News](<https://www.autonews.com/article/20170731/OEM05/170739961/mercedes-says-bye-bye-to-b-class-electric-drive>).* Another reason this luxury electric hatch is going away is for Benz to shift its focus to the EQ sub-brand of electric vehicles currently in its concept phase. Petrol and diesel variants of the B-Class will continue production, but won’t come to the U.S.

If you didn’t know Mercedes-Benz sold an electric car, you’re not alone. The company only sold 3,651 of the B-Class Electric Drive since it came out in late 2013. It was technically available nationwide, but not every dealer has them.

"Due to our strategic focus on \[connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drive systems\] for the mobility of the future, we are planning the step-by-step electrification of our portfolio," Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran wrote in an email to [*Automotive News.*](<https://www.autonews.com/article/20170731/OEM05/170739961/mercedes-says-bye-bye-to-b-class-electric-drive>) "Moreover, we are evaluating the production of our new generation of electric vehicles at all of our locations of Mercedes-Benz Cars."

What we know so far about the EQ sub-brand is that it’s a big part of [Daimler AG’s $11 billion investment in electric cars.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/8745/mercedes-benz-invests-11-billion-in-ev-development>) Daimler wants to bring 10 EVs to market by 2022, several of which will fly the EQ flag. [The concept we’ve seen](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/5379/mercedes-benz-generation-eq-concept-previews-daimlers-new-electric-car-brand>) is a crossover unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last year. It was very concepty and we’re looking forward to seeing a more production-ready version of the electric crossover and the rest of their lineup. According to Mercedes-Benz, EQ stands for “Electric Intelligence”. Like “IQ”, but the “I” is an “E”? We’re not sure.

Welcome to the future.

https://youtube.com/embed/e-QToo99XYY

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/brandt004>)