Mercedes B-Class Electric EV Charging Cable

An old electric car with a surprisingly good charger

The B-Class Electric Drive of 2015 to 2017 holds 28 kWh usable from a 31 kWh pack and managed 124 miles on the old NEDC test, realistically nearer 93. What is unexpected is the charger: 9.6 kW across three phases as standard, with 11 kW optional in some markets, on a car from a decade ago when 3.7 kW was normal.

The 7.4 kW ceiling is the house, not the cable: three phase ratings only mean something where three phases arrive. So a British house delivers it a full 7.4 kW and a 32A cable is genuinely worth having, which is not what you would guess from the age of the car.

And no rapid charging whatsoever

Rapid chargers are irrelevant here, because there is no DC connector to plug them into. The Type 2 cable does all of the work, which is why a missing one on a used car is a bigger problem than most buyers expect. On a 28 kWh battery that is a real constraint rather than a footnote, because the car is at its best on short local runs where it can be topped up at home each night.

The connector is standard Type 2, not any of the older oddities you might expect on a 2015 electric car, so any modern Type 2 lead fits.

The B 250 e plug-in hybrid is a different car

The 2020 to 2022 B 250 e holds about 10.6 kWh usable from a 15.6 kWh pack for around 43 miles of electric range. Its charger is single phase: 3.6 kW as standard with an optional 7.4 kW, so a 32A cable helps only if yours was ordered with the upgrade. A 24 kW DC option existed in Germany and we cannot confirm it was sold here.

Hours come from dividing the pack by the power the car actually draws, with 13 per cent added for losses. Columns are the B 250 e plug-in and the B-Class Electric Drive at usable capacity.

Which length for a B-Class

Both are rear-port cars. Left hand drive data puts the Electric Drive on the left of the body and the B 250 e on the right, and neither is confirmed for a UK car, so look before ordering.

The B-Class is 4.42 metres and tall, so it usually sits close in. If the port is on the same side as your charge point when you reverse in, 5 metres does it; otherwise 10 metres. Measure from the charge point to the inlet as the car actually parks, then add two metres of slack.

How these cables are built

It is made to IEC 62196-2, CE marked, and sealed to IP55 across a -30C to +50C temperature range.

Three pin construction follows IEC 62752, CE marked, IP67 rated, usable from -30C to +60C. It carries a two year manufacturer's warranty, ships free on next working day delivery, and can go back inside 30 days.

Related: Mercedes EQA EV Charging Cable, and Mercedes charging cables for every other model we cover.

Mercedes B-Class Electric charging cable questions

What cable does a B-Class Electric Drive need?

A 32A Type 2 to Type 2 lead. Its 9.6 kW three phase charger gives a full 7.4 kW from a British single phase supply, which is unusually good for a car of that age.

Can a B-Class Electric Drive rapid charge?

No. It has no DC socket at all, so the Type 2 cable is the only way to charge it. On a 28 kWh battery that makes the cable essential kit rather than an accessory.

What about the B 250 e plug-in hybrid?

That is a single phase car: 3.6 kW as standard, or 7.4 kW if the optional charger was ordered. A 16A lead suits a standard car and a 32A one suits an optioned one.

Is the connector Type 2?

Yes, on both. Despite the Electric Drive dating from 2015, it uses a standard Type 2 inlet, so any current Type 2 cable fits.