Benz to standardise hybrid future?

Mercedes is serious about the hybrid business. That was the consistent message the Carsales Network received from Daimler AG execs during this week's visit to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

From boss Dr Dieter Zetsche down, the company's execs are heavily promoting a hybrid future. While it won't be Mercedes' only green initiative, it is destined to be the major play for medium and large cars, as well as SUVs. Later this year the first production model hybrid S-Class, the S400 Hybrid goes on sale and Dr Zetsche confirmed in Detroit that it will be followed by at least one new mainstream hybrid model per year.

But which hybrid system? Currently Mercedes has two systems in play -- the so-called P2 system that will be used in the S-Class (and will come Down Under) and the jointly-developed Two-Mode Hybrid system that will be featured in the production version of the US-focused ML 450h.

The ML's system is a more complicated system in which in addition to the main internal combustion engine, two separate electric motors are coupled within a single unit to produce an electrically controlled 'virtual' CVT. The P2 system features a single electric motor installed between the engine and a conventional fixed ratio automatic transmission.

Though the current P2 set-up does not deliver zero-emission electric-only operation like the Dual Mode, future versions can be configured to do just that. With appropriate battery infrastructure in-city range can be expected, Benz says.

The P2 system's relative conventional configuration means it is also readily adaptable across Mercedes' rear and all-wheel drive model ranges. It can be matched to both petrol and diesel engines and also a range of transmissions.

Little wonder then that the both Mercedes's Vice President Passenger Car Engines and Powertrain Dr Leopold Mikulic and Vice President Group Research & Advanced Engineeing, Professor Herbert Kohler both say the P2 system will almost certainly power the wider hybrid roll out.

According to Mikulic, a diesel hybrid S-Class will follow the S400, perhaps as early as late 2010. The next cab off the rank (perhaps literally in the home market Germany), he confirms will be a diesel hybrid version of the E-Class.

Diesel hybrid makes sense for the E-Class because of the higher mileages the cars cover in the major European markets, say other Benz insiders.

The oiler most likely to be bolted to the hybrid is Mercedes' latest generation twin-turbo 2.0-litre four. Producing 500Nm in its launch format Aussies will first see the engine in the new non-hybrid W212 E-Class (more here) midway through this year.

According to Kohler, the decision to shelve the Dual Mode system (which Mercedes shares with Chrysler, GM and BMW) is still yet to be made. However, he contends that the company will make a decision later this year or early in 2010.

"On one side it is the additional cost and on the other fuel consumption and fuel consumption reduction. And what we can achieve with the Two-Mode and with the P2 system," Kohler explained.

"I'm quite sure in the next one or two years we will see what sort of direction we have to go... What can we really afford; what can we offer; what is the volume the market is asking for? And in the end there will be probably one solution which is not predictable right today," he said.

One of the projects almost certainly caught up in this decision-making process is the arrival of a performance hybrid and/or turbodiesel models from Mercedes' go-fast arm AMG.

Though it had been expected that the offshoot would debut a hybrid hotshoe sometime in 2009, AMG boss Volker Morhinwegg told the Carsales Network that the timeline is now more likely to be "later than 2010".

He also stated that though AMG had diesels running on its test benches, it would be unlikely it would have the resources to move forward with a two-pronged green performance strategy.

"There are other companies currently on the way to develop hybrids to reduce fuel consumption and even they are not starting on high performance [models]. Their [current] electric motor capability is not at high kilowatt levels as are the front runners," Mornhinweg explained.

"We are looking for a performance level that is above that [existing level]... Our market research is crystal clear -- the feedback is that it is great that we think about fuel consumption and hybrids, but they don't want to lose any performance.

"Thus it's a different type of technology that we need to streamline [for production]. It will take some time," the AMG boss concluded.