Mercedes-Benz has dropped a few tantalizing details about its S 500 plug-in hybrid luxury sedan, which will make its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, and go on sale some time next year.
The third hybrid model of the new S-Class, the S 500 combines an 80 kW electric motor with a 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged gas engine. The lithium-ion battery is mounted in the trunk, and has ten times the energy content of the two other hybrid S-Class models, giving the S 500 an electric range of around 19 miles. Combined horsepower is 435, top speed is 150 mph, and 0-60 time is 5.5 seconds.
The driver can select one of four hybrid operating modes, including electric only. The new Mercedes has a couple of features usually associated with full EVs, such as pre-entry climate control, and an “anticipatory energy management system” that uses navigation data to adjust to the vehicle’s likely route (downhill stretches, speed limits etc) for maximum efficiency.
Sources: Mercedes