Mercedes-Benz gave us a preview of their next plug-in hybrid car at the international media drive of the W222 S500 Plug-In Hybrid recently - a new Mercedes-Benz C 350 Plug-in Hybrid based on the W205 generation. Yes, they previewed a "baby S-Class plug-in hybrid" at an S-Class plug-in hybrid event.
The C 350 Plug-in Hybrid uses the 2.0 litre turbo engine from the C 250 - that means 211 PS and 350 Nm of torque, but the torque converter of the 7G-TRONIC transmission has been replaced by an electric motor that does 80 hp, a bit lower than the 107 hp, 340 Nm figures of the S-Class version of the system.
The electric motor is powered by lithium ion batteries mounted under the boot. While on the go, they can be charged by brake energy regeneration, but once you're home you can recharge the batteries through a wall socket by flipping open the lid on the rear bumper below the right tail lamp and plugging it in.
Fuel consumption is claimed to be just 3 litres per 100 km on the NEDC combined cycle. That's more economical than the BMW ActiveHybrid 3, but Munich's car doesn't have plug-in capabilities and has a much larger engine. We've seen a prototype F30 with a plug-in charger lid though, and the X5 eDrive plug-in hybrid has a smaller 2.0 litre engine as well, so I think they'll eventually come down the same route.
There's also another W205 hybrid powered by a diesel engine already on the market called the C 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, but that one doesn't have plug-in capabilities. It uses a 204 hp, 500 Nm 2.1 litre turbodiesel engine mated to a 27 hp electric motor.
The C 350 Plug-in Hybrid will be available in showrooms in 2015. Since Mercedes-Benz will be CKD-ing the W205 here in Malaysia only next year, and our CKD hybrid incentives will be ending by the end of the same year, it's a really quite a tight timeline for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia to CKD this one and take advantage of any incentives. Perhaps if the incentives are extended, then?
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