Mercedes-Benz to Start Selling Plug-in Fuel Cell SUV Next Year
- Daimler to spend $7.9 million on green technology through 2017
- Carmakers will probably cooperate on fuel cell development
A demonstration hydrogen fuel pump sits connected to a prototype Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell hybrid plug-in SUV automobile during Daimler's TecDay Road to the Future event in Stuttgart, Germany, on June 9.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergMercedes-Benz will start selling a fuel-cell electric version of its GLC sport utility vehicle next year, an effort to broaden the appeal of the technology with the first publicly available battery that can be charged both with hydrogen and at a wall socket.
Able to drive about 500 kilometers (310 miles) before recharging, the car is part of Daimler AG’s 7 billion euro ($7.9 billion) spending effort on green technology through next year. The GLC F-Cell’s plug-in option gives the car enough charge to drive 50 kilometers, potentially making it more attractive to buyers despite the existence of just 26 public hydrogen refueling stations in the U.S.