Mercedes B-Class headed to America... but only as an EV?

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class is a promising, small family vehicle, but Car and Driver is reporting that the new B-Class is only coming to the U.S. as the zero-emission Electric Drive model. It would appear that if Mercedes does proceed with this plan, it will likely be positioned as a premium alternative to dedicated green family vehicles like Toyota Prius v and Ford C-Max.

While Mercedes won't be the first luxury automaker to venture into the B-segment, it will likely be the first to bring an all-electric vehicle to this market. Using a Tesla-sourced lithium-ion battery pack, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive is expected to be able to travel up to 124 miles at a go, with a top speed of 93 miles per hour.

Mercedes-Benz will be applying the Electric Drive moniker to all of its future electric vehicles, and it definitely had a strong EV presence at the 2012 Paris Motor Show with B-Class Electric Drive and SLS AMG Electric Drive both on display; the the new Smart ForTwo Electric Drive is going on sale next year.