New Mercedes-Benz S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID revealed

Mercedes-Benz has announced the third hybrid model of the new S-Class, the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID ahead of its global unveiling at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The market launch for the vehicle will take place next year. The S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID returns a fuel economy of 33.3kmpl and has CO2 emission of just 69 g/km, which is surely incredible. With 3.0-litre engine, the vehicle can cover 100km with just 3 litres of fuel, and the 80-KW electric drive with externally rechargeable battery makes emission-free driving for about 29km.

With the new S-Class Mercedes-Benz expands the hybrid line-up in this model series to three models- the S 400 HYBRID, S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID and S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID. "With the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID Mercedes-Benz sets another milestone on the road to emission-free mobility on the basis of our modular hybrid matrix", explains Prof Dr Thomas Weber, responsible on the Daimler Board of Management for Group Research and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Product Engineering. "In this way the S-Class turns into a genuine 3-litre car with generous space and superlative drive-system comfort."

The batteries of the S 400 HYBRID and S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID are charged during braking or coasting or by combustion engine. Meanwhile, the new high-voltage lithium-ion battery of the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID has ten times energy content and offers the option of being recharged from an external source with a charging socket located on the right side of the rear bumper.

The S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID has four hybrid operating modes, that can be selected at the push of a button :

HYBRID MODE

E-MODE: electric power only

E-SAVE: fully charged battery is reserved to be able to drive on electric power alone later

CHARGE: battery is charged while driving

The most important benchmark data of the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID:

Power output of 328bhp of the combustion engine plus 80-kW (107bhp) electric motor and torque of 480Nm of the combustion engine plus 340Nm of the electric motor

Operating range on electric power alone about 29km (18 miles)

Top speed 249kph, 0-100kmph in 5.5 sec.

Intelligent HYBRID: anticipatory energy management system with optimal use of recuperation during deceleration

Individualisation possible as the result of the combination of the transmission modes with the four hybrid operating modes – HYBRID, E MODE, E-SAVE and CHARGE.

Haptic accelerator pedal for superior vehicle control: A point of resistance on the accelerator pedal provides feedback about the activation of the combustion engine and helps in metering the power output.

Fast external charging of the high-voltage traction battery

Pre-entry climate control of the interior