Mercedes plans new hybrid models

Posted Wed Sep 5 2007 1:12 AM by Nelson Ireson

With Volkswagen pushing ahead on its BlueMotion program and BMW heavily promoting EfficientDynamics, it seems as though Mercedes has been left behind when it comes to green technology in its cars. Not so – Mercedes is in fact hard at work, and it's soon to show. The 2009 ML450 hybrid, capable of short stints on electricity alone, will produce 265hp (195kW) from the 6-cylinder engine with an additional 56hp (41kW) contributed by each of two electric assist motors, for a grand total of 377 hp (277kW). This combination will yield what Mercedes claims to be the most efficient SUV in class at 30mpg (7.7L petrol per 100km).

There are also plans for a hybrid S-class sedan in 2009, reports Germany's Automobilwoche, sporting the same 6-cylinder engine, but only one electric assist motor contributing 20 hp (15kW). This model will be followed in 2010 by as a first-of-its-kind diesel-electric hybrid in the S300 Bluetec, and a year later an S400 Bluetec hybrid V8. By then Mercedes expects to include this technology in its E and C-class vehicles as well.

Also scheduled for 2010 is Mercedes' first small-scale test market of a fuel-cell powered electric car, to be propelled by a 136hp (100kW) electric motor. This emission-free vehicle will yield the converted equivalent of 81mpg (2.9L diesel per 100km) with total CO2 emissions from the electricity consumed at approximately 77g/km – nearly 30g/km less than a Toyota Prius.

In the more immediate future, Mercedes looks to focus attention at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show on its F700 concept car, powered by a 1.8L turbo-diesel producing 250hp (190kW) yet manages to yield an excellent 44mpg (5.3L per 100km) despite the concept's approximate 3950lb (1.8 metric tons) weight.

Reader Comments

Wed Sep 5 2007 1:33 AM
Gus says

TOO MUCH TECH.

Allow me to explain.
The more complicated something is, the more likely something will go wrong.

Just make some really efficient diesels, or even gasoline engines, maybe with ethanol for even higher compression, and leave all the complexity of electric drives mixed with gasoline drives mixed with batteries out of this. I'm telling you, in 7-10 years these cars will be holy rolling nightmares.
Wed Sep 5 2007 5:11 AM
aaron says

How did it seem Mercedes is being left behind by Volkswagen, who adopted Bluetec technology after Mercedes? Volkswagen later decided to change the name to Bluemotion. Who writes this stuff?
Wed Sep 5 2007 6:30 AM
LedFoot says

I think the point was that VW has put out a Jetta, a Tiguan, and a Touareg with Bluemotion whilst Merc has only put out the E320 and GL320 with Bluetec.

No one said VW invented the idea, just that they were running with it while Merc seemed to have dropped the ball.
Wed Sep 5 2007 8:00 AM
admin says

Aaron, BlueMotion is NOT Bluetec. BlueMotion is the name for VW cars with efficiency enhancements. Bluetec is the name for 'clean' diesels produced by Mercedes. VW was going to use Bluetec engines but has decided to rebrand them TDI.
Wed Sep 5 2007 9:01 AM
HECTOR says

@ Gus: Agree with you there. Better and cleaner diesels are the best way to go for now.

But FYI ethanol is a fallacy as big as the driving force behind it: Al Gore's big joke of global warming. Ethanol production is responsible for making the a gallon of milk cost $6 where I live and it's doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help us as consumers.

In fact is hurting us badly.
Wed Sep 5 2007 1:15 PM
Gus says

Well, ethanol or no, it's a way to boost compression and increase octane to a level where gasoline can be used like diesel (I read somewhere).
There simply MUST be a way to use all that energy that goes to waste in normal gasoline right now...
Wed Sep 5 2007 1:24 PM
admin says

Gus - we tried contacting you through the email you supplied however there was no response. Could you please get in touch with us through the contact form?
Thanks.
Thu Sep 6 2007 12:43 AM
Gus says

I tried, but it says the contact forum is closed at this time?

my email is gus@chyba.net
Thu Sep 6 2007 8:59 AM
admin says

Hey Gus,
The contact form works. I received 3 messages from you. However I have tried emailing you with my MotorAuthority email account and my gmail account and neither work. Can you provide me with a Gmail/Yahoo/Hotmail address? Just send it through the contact form.
Thanks.
Fri Sep 7 2007 4:38 AM
Aaron says

Volkswagen was originally to badge their clean diesels Bluetec (sourced from Mercedes), but decided to keep the familiar CDI reference. They renamed it Bluemotion, familiar to 4motion.

My point is, the article implied that Mercedes was being left behind with this "new" technology used by the likes of Volkswagen. BTW, the new C Class offers Bluetec, as well as the soon to be released ML, GL, and R Class variants.

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