Charging and services.

What about the resale value of my electric vehicle? In terms of the battery, does a drop in output reduce the value to the extent that it's not worthwhile purchasing the vehicle in the first place?

Mercedes-Benz vehicles are known for their high resale value. This also applies to electrified vehicles. Consequently, the Mercedes-Benz Battery Certificate guarantees the performance of the lithium-ion high-voltage battery in fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. This has a positive effect on the resale value.

Lower consumption and emissions initially means that there is a positive environmental aspect. But what about recycling the battery? I'm not even supposed to put the batteries from my TV remote in the landfill bin.

In the "LiBRi" (Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Initiative) research project, Mercedes-Benz has joined forces with suppliers and disposal partners to develop innovative recycling concepts which allow high-quality recycling of valuable components or materials. To find out more about the Environmental Certificate, go to www.mercedes-benz.com and search for "life cycle".

Do you have something like an overall LCA for the vehicles? I'm not sure whether driving a partially electric or fully electric car is really better for the environment than, e.g. driving a diesel car.

How green the vehicle is when in use depends very much on the customer's driving behaviour and how they recharge the vehicle. Frequent charging after short journeys (<30 km) increases the overall distance that the customer actually covers with a plug-in hybrid, for example. The electricity the vehicle is charged with also plays a significant role, i.e. is it actually being charged with "green" electricity or an energy mix?

As a rule, all public charging stations are supplied with green electricity, and it often only takes a few clicks for a household to find a green energy supplier.

I charge my vehicle while it is parked outside. How can I make sure that no one unplugs my car overnight?

The Mercedes-Benz Home wallbox has a non-detachable charging cable. The plug is locked to the vehicle.

Roughly speaking, what are the total costs of ownership for the different drive variants in comparable models?

Anyone purchasing an electric car can expect significantly lower workshop costs for the vehicle than the owner of a petrol or diesel vehicle. And depending on the electricity tariff, the lower "refuelling costs" should not be ignored when it comes to the decision to buy. In many countries the owner will also benefit from subsidies and tax incentives or exemption from access restrictions and congestion charges.