Platform sharing often requires some compromises, and that’s doubly true of EVs built out of cars that were originally designed for internal combustion powertrains. Older vehicles like the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, Fiat 500e, and Honda Clarity EV featured ranges of less than 100 miles, which was barely enough for EV enthusiasts, much less typical shoppers and their attendant range anxiety.
That’s why we were a bit surprised when Christoph Starzynski, Mercedes-Benz vice president of development for electric drive, told us in an interview that the next-generation A-Class and B-Class compact cars would offer both internal combustion and electric propulsion. But the concession apparently will be the onus of the traditional engines, rather than the EV powertrain. In an about-face from the likes of the BMW i4, Kia Niro EV, and even Benz’s own EQB, the A-Class’ so-called MMA platform will be designed for electric vehicles, then adapted to accept gas and diesel powertrains for markets that demand them.
