Mercedes-Benz Rolls Out Fuel-Cell SUV to Tackle Tech Hurdles
- Deliveries limited to fleet customers and include maintenance
- Mercedes sees fuel-cell breakthrough on cars, vans or buses
A demonstration hydrogen fuel pump sits connected to a prototype Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell hybrid plug-in SUV.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg
Mercedes-Benz will soon start handing over its latest fuel-cell electric car to fleet customers to keep a toe-hold in a promising technology that’s been hampered by the difficulties of storing and refueling hydrogen.
The Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell model combines a fuel cell with a battery that can be charged via a wall socket, easing driver concerns about refueling. For now, the manufacturer will rent out the vehicles at 799 euros a month ($917), with drivers returning the car at the end of the full-service contract. The real-world test will help refine the technology, Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler AG said.