Mercedes New B-Class to Travel Around World in 125 Days
Not to be mistaken as the Jules Verne classic, "Around the World in 80 Days", where Phileas Fogg takes a wager to go around the world in no more than 80 days, Mercedes-Benz is going to set off on an adventure of their own at the end of this month.
Recently, Mercedes launched its B-Class F-CELL vehicles in California. Now, Mercedes is ready to take the F-CELL out of California and onto a global stage.
If you traveled to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show like I did, you were able to see first-hand when Mercedes-Benz officials unveiled their plan for the F-CELL World Drive. On January 30, the B-Class F-CELL will set off on a 125-day journey around the world.
The epic trip will begin in Stuttgart, Germany; the same place where it will end. The around-the-world trip will cover 20,000 miles and will stretch across 14 different countries. Some of these include: France, Spain, Portugal, United States, Canada, Australia, China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Germany. The closest it will get to us in Virginia is its stop in New Orleans. So if you're dead set on checking out the circumnavigation tour, that wouldn't make a bad vacation destination.
In and around Virginia, Mercedes drivers may be wondering why Mercedes is embarking on this ambitious endeavor. There are really two main reasons for this trip:
(1) To demonstrate that the B-Class F-CELL has what it takes to make a trek this long and;
(2) To bring attention to the need for a global hydrogen filling station network.
The F-CELL World Drive will also be a great chance for the F-CELL to demonstrate that it can hang in a variety of conditions - from a variety of climate zones, to a diverse mix of route including sleek asphalt highways and unpaved roads.
The second reason for this challenge is probably one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of the zero-emissions B-Class F-CELL, and it becoming readily available to drivers world-wide. Currently, there are very few hydrogen filling stations across the world. California is the state in the U.S. with by far the most charging stations; however, there are only 20 in the entire state, demonstrating how far we have to come in developing this hydrogen network.
In Virginia, Mercedes-Benz fans alike can follow the progress of the B-Class F-CELL. I'm cheering for it, since a successful trip will hopefully get us closer to getting the F-CELL on the streets. What would this mean for us? It would mean having access to driving a car with zero emissions, and being able to drive approximately 240 miles before needing a refill.
Recently, Mercedes launched its B-Class F-CELL vehicles in California. Now, Mercedes is ready to take the F-CELL out of California and onto a global stage.
If you traveled to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show like I did, you were able to see first-hand when Mercedes-Benz officials unveiled their plan for the F-CELL World Drive. On January 30, the B-Class F-CELL will set off on a 125-day journey around the world.
The epic trip will begin in Stuttgart, Germany; the same place where it will end. The around-the-world trip will cover 20,000 miles and will stretch across 14 different countries. Some of these include: France, Spain, Portugal, United States, Canada, Australia, China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Germany. The closest it will get to us in Virginia is its stop in New Orleans. So if you're dead set on checking out the circumnavigation tour, that wouldn't make a bad vacation destination.
In and around Virginia, Mercedes drivers may be wondering why Mercedes is embarking on this ambitious endeavor. There are really two main reasons for this trip:
(1) To demonstrate that the B-Class F-CELL has what it takes to make a trek this long and;
(2) To bring attention to the need for a global hydrogen filling station network.
The F-CELL World Drive will also be a great chance for the F-CELL to demonstrate that it can hang in a variety of conditions - from a variety of climate zones, to a diverse mix of route including sleek asphalt highways and unpaved roads.
The second reason for this challenge is probably one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of the zero-emissions B-Class F-CELL, and it becoming readily available to drivers world-wide. Currently, there are very few hydrogen filling stations across the world. California is the state in the U.S. with by far the most charging stations; however, there are only 20 in the entire state, demonstrating how far we have to come in developing this hydrogen network.
In Virginia, Mercedes-Benz fans alike can follow the progress of the B-Class F-CELL. I'm cheering for it, since a successful trip will hopefully get us closer to getting the F-CELL on the streets. What would this mean for us? It would mean having access to driving a car with zero emissions, and being able to drive approximately 240 miles before needing a refill.
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