Mercedes B Class E-Cell EV Charging Cable
Quick recommendation
Both plug-in versions of the B Class take a Type 2 to Type 2 cable, and on both the 32A version is the one to buy. What separates them is how much they hold, and so how long they sit on the drive.
There are two of them and they are easy to confuse, because Mercedes used the B 250 e badge twice. The 2015 to 2017 car, sold as the B-Class Electric Drive and later relabelled B 250 e, is fully electric with 28 kWh of usable battery from a 31 kWh pack. The 2020 to 2022 B 250 e is a plug-in hybrid: 15.6 kWh installed, about 10.6 kWh of it usable, with a petrol engine alongside it. Same socket, very different charging job.
The electric car's onboard charger is the one figure we cannot pin down. It is widely reported as 9.6 kW, which Mercedes UK has never confirmed. What Mercedes did publish was 3 to 4 hours from a wallbox. In a British house the distinction is academic, because domestic supplies here are single phase and 7.4 kW is the practical ceiling whatever the car will accept. A 32A Type 2 cable delivers that 7.4 kW, which puts 28 kWh in over roughly four and a quarter hours.
The plug-in hybrid is quoted at 7.4 kW, so the same 32A cable is again correct. With only 10.6 kWh to replace it finishes in about an hour and a half, which is short enough to be worth doing during a supermarket shop.
The 16A cable at 3.7 kW fits both cars but roughly doubles every figure above. It is worth buying only if the charge point you use is itself limited to 16A. The 3 pin cable is a fallback on the electric car, where 28 kWh at 2.3 kW runs to nearly fourteen hours, though it is more reasonable on the hybrid.
We also list a three phase 22 kW cable. It fits, and it will not charge either B Class faster, because neither car is quoted above 9.6 kW and a home supply is not three phase to begin with.
The petrol and diesel B Class models, the B 180, B 200, B 200 d and B 220 d, have no charging port and need nothing from this page.
Mercedes B Class Charging Times
B-Class Electric Drive, 2015 to 2017, 28 kWh usable
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 to 3 Pin: 5m or 10m | 2.3 kW | 13h45m | Emergency use only on a pack this size |
| Type 2 to Type 2, 16A: 5m or 10m | 3.7 kW | 8h30m | Only if your charge point is capped at 16A |
| Type 2 to Type 2, 32A: 5m or 10m | 7.4 kW at home | 4h15m. Mercedes quoted 3 to 4 hours from a wallbox | Best fit |
| Type 2 to Type 2, 32A three phase: 5m or 10m | 22 kW cable, far above anything the car is quoted at | No quicker than the 32A | No benefit on this car |
B 250 e plug-in hybrid, 2020 to 2022, about 10.6 kWh usable
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 to 3 Pin: 5m or 10m | 2.3 kW | 5h15m | Workable overnight on this smaller battery |
| Type 2 to Type 2, 16A: 5m or 10m | 3.7 kW | 3h15m | Adequate, but slower than the car allows |
| Type 2 to Type 2, 32A: 5m or 10m | 7.4 kW | 1h30m | Best fit. Uses the car's full 7.4 kW |
Type 2 to Type 2 cables are IP55 rated and Type 2 to 3 Pin cables are IP67. The 32A single phase cable is also stocked in 15m and 20m. All are CE certified and come with a 2 year manufacturer's warranty and same-day dispatch on working-day orders placed before 2pm.
Mercedes B Class Charging Cable FAQs
Which cable does the Mercedes B Class need?
A Type 2 to Type 2 cable, in the 32A version. That applies to the 2015 to 2017 Electric Drive with its 28 kWh usable battery and to the 2020 to 2022 B 250 e hybrid at 7.4 kW. Neither car has ever used a Type 1 socket, so one cable covers both.
How do I tell the electric car from the hybrid?
Look for a petrol filler. The 2015 to 2017 Electric Drive has no engine and holds 28 kWh usable. The 2020 to 2022 B 250 e is a plug-in hybrid with a 15.6 kWh pack, roughly 10.6 kWh of it usable, and a fuel cap as well as a charge flap. Both use the same cable.
Is the 22 kW three phase cable worth buying?
No, not for either B Class. The electric car is reported at 9.6 kW and the hybrid at 7.4 kW, and a UK home is single phase, which caps you at 7.4 kW anyway. The 32A single phase cable reaches that ceiling for less money. Three phase only helps at a genuine three phase site.
How long does the B 250 e hybrid take?
Around an hour and a half from empty on a 32A cable at 7.4 kW, since there is only about 10.6 kWh to put back. The 16A cable stretches that to roughly three and a quarter hours, and a 3 pin lead at 2.3 kW takes a little over five hours, which still fits inside a night.
Does a B 180 or B 200 need a charging cable?
No. The B 180, B 200, B 200 d and B 220 d are petrol and diesel models with no charging port anywhere on the car, so nothing on this page will connect to them. Only the Electric Drive and the B 250 e plug in. Check for a charge flap before ordering.
What length cable should I choose?
Take 5m if the B Class parks within a couple of metres of the charge point and faces the right way. Take 10m if the socket is behind you, across a shared bay, or on the far side of a garage. Longer 15m and 20m 32A cables are stocked for difficult driveways.