Mercedes-Benz is
covering all its bases by offering hybrids
for the E-Class range. While its
main U.S. competitor Lexus is struggling
with diesels, Merc is going into a domain traditionally owned by Lexus, the
hybrid. To be unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit are the E300 BlueTec Hybrid and E400 Hybrid.
The E300 BlueTec Hybrid
is planned for the European market and it uses a 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine
with 150kW and 500Nm of torque, plus a 20kW,
250Nm electric motor. This is an
extremely strong proposition, but is only responsible for 109g/km in average C02 emissions and 4.2 litres per 100km in overall fuel consumption.
As for the E400
Hybrid, that directly competes with GS hybrids from Lexus, with its 3.5-litre V6 engine of 225kW and 370Nm of torque. Its electric motor makes the same power and torque
as the E300 BlueTec Hybrid. Merc claims an average fuel consumption figure of 8.7 litres per 100km.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa had anticipated to start selling the S400 Hybrid sometime this year, but that did not happen. One of these hybrids will certainly make it here in 2012, given Lexus and BMW's hybrid plans for the E-Class segment.
2 comments:
I believe diesel is the better option, not hybrids.
I'm not so sure about the claims made by the petrol hybrid as stated in this article. Years ago I drove the second Prius hybrid in South Africa and I was not impressed at all with the fuel consumption, having driven it from Pretoria to Pietersburg. I concluded hybrids are for people who live and work in the Cbd or in Melrose Arch where they can just use electricity for five minutes and get home or to work.
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