Mercedes S 500 Plug-in Hybrid: 248 kph, 33 km/liter

Mercedes-Benz is set to launch a plug-in hybrid version of its new S-Class sedan at the Frankfurt auto show. The new S 500 Plug-in Hybrid pairs a 3.0-liter V6 turbo gasoline engine with an 80-kW electric motor to provide performance with exemplary economy. Mercedes quotes fuel economy of 3 liters of fuel for 100 km, or 33.3 km/liter.

The lithium-ion battery can be externally recharged, and with ten times the energy content of its non-plug in hybrid siblings, can drive the car on electric power alone for up to 28 km. The driver can switch from hybrid to pure electric mode via dashboard button, with additional modes to reserve the battery charge for later electric driving or to charge the battery while driving.

The S-Class can still cruise at the customary 248 kph top speed, with a very unhybrid-like 0-100 kph time of 5.5 seconds. The hybrid system can anticipate the car’s energy requirements based on incline, speed, and route for up to eight kilometers ahead, using the car’s onboard navigation system. It can use more battery power for propulsion ahead of a downhill stretch, where the recuperative brakes can recharge it. The gasoline engine can switch off when no needed, and its drag torque is also used to recharge the battery.