Fuel cells are highly interesting bits of tech. Literally moon shot technology brought to earth, they've been the darling of some green energy types and certain car companies for awhile now. Mercedes-Benz for instance, arguably the people who invented the automobile, has been making great strides putting fuel cell technology into street cars.

We've followed Mercedes' efforts in this arena, from the practical B-Class F-Cell shown above to the the fanciful F-Cell Roadster concept, so we're excited to hear the Germans say they're bringing a fuel cell powered B-Class to "select customers" in Europe and America next spring.

The fuel cell drivetrain is going into Mercedes' B-Class, which could be a German version of the Honda Fit. It's a small four-door one-box car perfect for city driving. The boys from Stuttgart say the B-Class F-Cell, as it's officially called, is the "first electric car fully suited for everyday driving and with the driving dynamics of a two-liter petrol car."

When it hits the road next year, the hydrogen-hungry B-Class will be the first series-produced fuel cell EV on the road. Yes, with only 200 planned it is a small-scale production run. But it is worth noting the cars will be coming to both Europe and America within a few months.

The heart of the F-Cell is an electric drive system without an internal combustion engine as found in something as prosaic as a facile Toyota Prius. While the fuel cell is generating electrical power on board, it produces little more than pure water and zero emissions. Naturally, the drivetrain packaging is as unconventional as the power source. The drive components are sandwiched in the floor, which not only offers more room for people and things but also gives more protection to sensitive and expensive gadgetry.

The B-Class F-Cell offers some advantages over pure EVs, most notably usability. The B-Class has a range of around 400 kilometers and short refueling times. Like an EV, it has zero local emissions. Mercedes says that the performance is comparable to a 2.0-liter petrol car. The F-Cell is motivated down the road by a 100-kilowatt (136 horsepower) electric motor that puts out 213 pound-feet of torque.

The fuel cell is 40 percent smaller than the system used in the 2004 A-Class F-Cell, and Mercedes says it develops 30 percent more power, all the while consuming 30 percent less fuel. Efficiency-wise, the B-Class F-Cell consumes the equivalent of 3.3 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers in the New European Driving Cycle. That works out to 85 mpg.

Of course, finding fuel may be a challenge and the it could be decades before hydrogen has any significant impact on gasoline consumption or global warming. But that's a whole 'nother story.

Main photo of the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell at the 2009 Los Angeles auto show: Jim Merithew / Wired.com. All others: Mercedes Benz.

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