Saturday Night Live is at its best when it’s making fun of someone, but for its most recent episode, the comedy program set its sights on an entire industry.
The show aired a parody television ad for the Mercedes-Benz AA-Class this Saturday, which featured host Julia Louis-Dreyfus acting as a spokesperson for an all-new electric car that does things a little bit differently. Instead of the same old lithium-ion setup we’re used to today, the AA-Class is powered by 9,648 removable AA batteries, which completely removes the need for plugs, generators, or charging stations. Hey, why didn’t we think of that?
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Dreyfus’ delivery is perfectly earnest as an EV ambassador, as she deadpans her way through the cars impressive features — a top speed of 52 mph, an energy monitor that tracks each battery individually, and a “ribbon release auto dump” system (also known as Magic Energy Control) that allows the driver to jettison the vehicle’s battery supply and start fresh. Those batteries, of course, are sold separately.
Saturday Night Live doesn’t parody the car world all that often, but when it does, its team of writers does a bang-up job. Jim Carrey expertly imitated Matthew McConaughey’s Lincoln advertisement in late 2014, but if we go back a bit further, you’ll find the late great Phil Hartman attempting to promote a 1993 Chameleon XLE — a high-end luxury car disguised as a rusted out Pontiac to fool thieves. 1992’s “Jiffy Pop Airbag” skit was another high point, as the safety device aimed to protect drivers from crash damage while also providing a tasty low-calorie treat. Yum.
You can find all of SNL’s car-themed commercials right here, but for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ take on EVs, check out the video below.
