Mercedes-Benz South Africa could very well follow other countries that already sell hybrid high-class luxury sedans. Take this new S 400 Hybrid for instance, a car that exudes high class while at the same time giving customers the assurance of performance with fuel savings.
The engine fitted is a V6 petrol which is coupled with a lithium-ion battery and an electric motor. It produces 220kW (299hp) and maximum torque of 385Nm. These figures compare well with the S 350 which makes 200kW and 350Nm. Where the Hybrid obviously excels is in the enviro-friendliness stakes where it is said to give an average fuel consumption of 7.9 litres per 100km and C02 emissions of 186 g/km.
Mercedes-Benz says the S 400 Hybrid will take off from 0 – 100km/h in 7.2 seconds and register a top end of 250km/h. A kinetic energy recovery system is installed in the car that recoups energy when the car brakes. This energy is then stored in the lithium-ion battery for use when accelerating or when otherwise needed.
