Mercedes-Benz developing fuel-sipping plug-in hybrid C-Class

By Ronan Glon July 20, 2014

In a bid to comply with the strict emissions norms set to come into effect over the coming years, Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it is putting the final touches on a fuel-saving plug-in hybrid variant of the C-Class sedan.

Mercedes engineer Ralf Rossmanith recently revealed the plug-in hybrid C-Class will return approximately 117 mpg in a mixed cycle. The sedan currently boasts an all-electric range of a little over 18 miles, but that figure could be increased to approximately 31 miles for the Chinese market in order to comply with the country’s strict regulations.

Although additional technical details are scarce, sources indicate the plug-in hybrid C is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 211 horsepower and a 68-horsepower electric motor linked to a lithium-ion battery pack. The two power sources spin the rear wheels via an automatic transmission.

Plug-in hybrid drivetrains are set to become an increasingly important part of the Mercedes lineup over the coming years.

“For C-Class upwards, the only way to go as we near 2020 and beyond is plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Mercedes Rear-drive Architecture will make it possible for us to go for plug-in hybrids across the range,” said Thomas Weber, Mercedes’ head of development, in an earlier interview with British magazine Autocar.

The plug-in hybrid C-Class could greet the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show that will open its doors to the public next March. It will go on sale across Europe and in China next summer, but whether it will be distributed in the United States is up in the air.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Photo Galleries

Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Cars

Mercedes ‘Little G’ electric G-Wagon: Rumored design, release date

Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

Slowly, but surely, Mercedes-Benz is building electric versions of all of its different cars -- and it looks like a smaller electric G-Wagon may be coming up soon. Mercedes first announced an all-electric EQG in 2021, but even before the car is officially available to buy, the company is already planning a baby one too, affectionately dubbed the "Little G."

There's still a lot we don't know about the smaller electric G-Wagon. Here, however, is everything we do know so far.
Design
Design is a huge part of what makes a G-Wagon a G-Wagon. Because of that, it's almost certainly something that Mercedes won't compromise on.

Cars

Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV first drive review: a better electric SUV

Front three quarter view of the 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV.

With EV production ramping up, automakers can now shift attention to something more fun: making EVs that are engaging to drive, the kind that encourage you to take the long way home. Mercedes-Benz is putting its best people on the job.

For more than 50 years, AMG has been turning Mercedes luxury cars into race cars and hot rods—and the performance division is now working its magic on EVs. We’ve already gotten AMG versions of the Mercedes-Benz EQS and EQE sedans, but AMG is now upping the difficulty level with an electric SUV.

Cars

2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance first drive review: high-performance plug-in

Front three quarter view of the 2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance.

It's a time of transition at Mercedes-Benz. The venerable automaker is looking toward an electric future with EVs like the EQS, while introducing updated versions of its traditional internal-combustion models like the S-Class. The 2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance bridges the gap.

For those not fluent in Mercedes-speak, AMG is the automaker's performance version, and the S63 is a hot-rodded version of the S-Class. This 2024 model is the latest in a long line of big, powerful Mercedes sedans that combine limousine-like luxury with sports-car thrust. But this time, there's a twist.