Benz bets big on plug-ins

The battery range of plug-in hybrid cars could stretch out to 100km in the next generation, Mercedes-Benz's head of development has claimed.

With at least 10 new plug-in hybrid versions of Mercedes-Benz models due to be on sale by the end of next year, development director Dr Thomas Weber insists the next generation of plug-ins would be able to run up to 100km as battery-electric vehicles.

"We are working to bring 10 plug-in hybrids to the market by the end of next year, but that will not be the end of it," he insisted.

"Then we work on the extension of the range based on battery development. We are working on plug-in hybrid systems based on the S-Class technology for extended range.

"The next-generation vehicle will overcome the 30km to 50km hurdle and then the next generation after that will be 80-100km when they run as pure electric cars."

While Mercedes-Benz will bring a fuel-cell electric car to market next year and deliver a pure battery-electric car in 2018, the lion's share of its electrified-drive development targets the immediacy of the plug-in hybrid.

Plug-in hybrids marry an internal-combustion engine (usually a petrol-powered motor) with what is effectively a small-battery version of an electric car. The bonus for plug-in hybrid drivers is that they can have a short-range electric car for city work, without compromising the range between fill-ups in open-road driving.

The big advantage Mercedes-Benz has in developing all three technologies at once is that they share similar ways of delivering their energy to the wheels.

"On the component side there are synergies with batteries and motors in all the electric models, and that includes the plug-in models," Dr Weber insisted. "The components can be used with more than one vehicle."

Mercedes-Benz will introduce its first two plug-in models in Australia in May, when the C 350e and S 500e sedans arrive, followed in October by the GLE 500e (pictured).