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NEWS
FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Mercedes-Benz S 500 plug-in
Third hybrid variation for Benz's new S-Class under evaluation for Oz, but don't expect an entry-level priceMercedes-Benz has announced a third hybrid variant of its new S-Class. Set for debut at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show, the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid follows the S 400 Hybrid and the S 300 BlueTec Hybrid in the biggest overhaul to the model’s powertrain since its inception. It will go to market in 2014.
Benz claims the S 500 PHEV sets a new efficiency benchmark for the luxe-saloon segment, rated at 3.0L/100km and 69g/km CO2 on the NEDC. It combines a 245kW/480Nm 3.0-litre turbo V6 petrol engine with an 80kW/340Nm electric motor.
Benz says the S 500 PHEV delivers its extraordinary fuel efficiency and cleanliness with no compromise in drive quality or climate comfort. It claims it’s good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h.
Asked about the likelihood of the car’s release Down Under, Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy said the company is scoping out the business case.
“But we’re very keen on it and other factors suggest there will be a case for it,” he told motoring,com.au.
“It depends on several things. Firstly, it has to be available in right-hand drive; secondly, it has to be compatible with local 240-volt grid conditions; that was the problem we had with the smart fortwo electric – it wasn’t.”
Thirdly, he continued, it has to be viable on price.
“We’ve no idea what the numbers might be there, but you can take it that if it comes it’ll sit towards the top of the S-Class price scale.
“That said, if our experience with the E 300 BlueTec Hybrid is anything to go by, things look good. We had 60 orders for that car before it launched, and dealer feedback since has been very positive. Given we based our business case for the E on 100 sales a year, I’d say that marks the beginnings of a very compelling case for the S 500 plug-in.”
The new model represents a major leap towards full electric drive compared to its hybrid siblings. Whereas the other two hybrid newcomers use their electric motors to supplement their combustion engines to varying degrees, the S 500 PHEV is capable of up to 30km on pure (engine off) electric power. Its new high-voltage lithium-ion power pack has ten times the energy capacity of the others’, with a rear-set socket permitting rapid charging from the grid as well as the V6, with continual top-ups from the regen systems.
The car operates in four hybrid modes, switchable on demand from the cockpit.
- HYBRID: petrol-electric drive
- E-MODE: pure electric drive
- E-SAVE: keeps the fully charged battery in reserve to enable pure electric drive later
- CHARGE: engine charges the battery as it powers the car
Combined with a series of switchable transmission modes, the powertrain will offer drivers a blinding array of individualisation options.
The new trio of drivetrains hail from Benz’s “modular hybrid matrix”, which allows the maker to integrate different combinations of hybrid components seamlessly into different vehicle specs. It also allows the complete separation of the combustion engines from their electric motors.
An important contributor to the efficiency of all three second-generation S-Class hybrids is an anticipatory energy management system that maps out an operating strategy for eight kilometres ahead based on navigation data. The car knows in advance when it’s going to need battery power for traction, and when it will be able to top it up by switching the drive motor to alternator mode on downhill stretches.
A haptic accelerator pedal provides feedback at the cut-in point for the petrol engine, helping train drivers around optimising fuel efficiency. The car also allows for remote pre-entry switching of the climate control systems.
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Written byJeremy Bass
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