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Cape Town - Mercedes-Benz is now offering its hybrid technology in two of its luxury cars - the C- and S-Class.
With a range of 31km in purely electric mode, the C350 e hybrid’s four-cylinder petrol engine works conjunction with an electric motor. Mercedes, delivers certified consumption figures of just 2.1-litres/100km and corresponding CO2 emissions of 65g/km.
Plug-in hybrid tech
Mercedes-Benz’s hybrid drive concept is combined for the first time with a four-cylinder petrol engine. It produces 155kW/350Nm, while the electric motor of the C 350 e has an output of up to 60kW/340Nm. The system has a total output of 205kW/600Nm.
READ: SA-built Mercedes C350 e all charged up
The on-board charging system allows the battery to be recharged in around 1 hour and 45 minutes at a wall-box (230V, 16A, 3.7kW single-phase).
Alternatively, charging via a standard domestic socket is of course also possible. Depending on the connection, a charge time of around two hours is achievable (with 230V and 13A, 3.0kW).
Different driving modes
The C 350 e offers all the characteristics of a hybrid vehicle. These include:
• Silent start: the vehicle starts virtually silently and runs in electric mode.
• Boost: the electric motor boosts the output of the combustion engine by a further 60kW.
• Energy recuperation: during braking and coasting, energy is recovered and stored in the battery.
Four operating modes
In the Eco and Comfort transmission modes, the following operating modes are available:
• Hybrid: all hybrid functions such as electric operating mode, boost and recuperation are available and are applied according to the driving situation and route in the most fuel-efficient manner.
• E-mode: used for all-electric driving.
• E-save: the charge status of the battery is maintained.
• Charge: allows the battery to be recharged while driving using the combustion engine.
The C350 e retails at R804 900.
Click here for the spec and price list.
Image: QuickPic
Hybrid tech for S500
Following the S400 Hybrid, the S500 e is the third hybrid model in the new S-Class range. Its new high-voltage lithium-ion battery with an energy content of 8.7 kWh can be externally recharged via the charging socket in the right side of the rear bumper.
The Mercedes-Benz S500 e offers a system output of 325kW/650Nm, accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds and has an all-electric range of up to 33km, says Merc. The certified consumption is 2.8-litres/100 km, which corresponds to a CO2 emissions count of 65g/km.
Image: QuickPic
Power from a socket
The S500 e stores electric energy in a lithium-ion battery on lithium-iron phosphate basis. The water-cooled energy storage unit has an overall capacity of 8.7kWh, a total weight of 114kg and a spatial volume of 96 litres.
The S500 e’s battery can be charged via external mains electricity using a 3.6kW on-board charger. The unit is permanently installed in the vehicle and charges single-phase up to 16A. The new S-Class can be charged in two hours anywhere in the world, e.g. at a wallbox or charging station (400V, 16A).
READ: 10 Merc hybrids to launch by 2017
Alternatively, charging via a standard domestic connection is of course also possible. Depending on the connection, a charge time of e.g. two hours and 45 minutes is possible (at 230V and 13A) . The on-board charging system enables the battery to be charged at any conventional domestic power socket and the supply of electricity to the car will in future be made through inductive, cableless charging, says the automaker.
The S500 e is introduced at R1 875 500.
Click here for the spec and price list.
Image: QuickPic
