Mercedes And Tesla Had A Bastard Child
The affordable, appealing and tragically flawed B250E
Mercedes-Benz picked up Tesla in 2009. Tesla was down and out, having had just $9 million in the bank at one point. Mercedes invested $50 million at a time when Tesla was really struggling. They broke up five years later (netting $780 million), but during their short liaison Mercedes and Tesla had a love child. The Bastard Electric, the B250E. They never talk about it, but it is real. It’s a lovely car, and also terrible.
I know because I see this car around. My little island is a dumping ground for used vehicles, but this was something new. As far as I knew, Mercedes didn’t make an electric car, but here was this thing with Electric Drive badges.
As far as Mercedes is concerned, I’m right. Mercedes-Benz says that the EQC is their first-ever electric car, and it’s just launching now. The B250E has been written out of their history, which is why I call it the Bastard Electric. The EQC the one true heir, the first-born electric from the house of Mercedez and Benz. But it’s not true.
