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The Mercedes-Benz S 500 Plug-in Hybrid is More Frugal Than a smart

The previous, W221, generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class featured the world's first hybrid drive system with a lithium-ion battery in the form of the S 400 Hybrid. The new, W222, generation of the Mercedes-Benz flagship model will soon feature not one but three different hybrid engines, one of which will be the most fuel efficient luxury car on the planet.
Mercedes-Benz S500 Hybrid 7 photos
Photo: Daimler AG
Mercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in HybridMercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in HybridMercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in HybridMercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in HybridMercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in HybridMercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in Hybrid
The upcoming S 500 Plug-in Hybrid will only emit 69 g of CO2 per kilometer driven, which are equivalent to a fuel consumption of just 3 liters/100 km (78.4 mpg) in the combined NEDC cycle.

The powertrain features a turbocharged gasoline V6 engine with direct injection, offering 333 hp and 480 Nm (354 lb ft). The V6 is not alone in there, though, as there is also an electric motor that outputs 109 hp and 340 Nm (250.8 lb ft).

Combined with an externally chargeable high voltage battery that sits in the trunk, right behind the rear seats, it can offer the new S 500 Plug-in Hybrid about 30 km (18.6 miles) of pure electric driving.

“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”, said 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 three-liter car with generous space and superlative drive-system comfort.”

With an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) and a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time of just 5.5 seconds, the new S 500 Plug-in Hybrid is no slouch either, combining the comfort and power of a V8 luxury sedan with a fuel economy that even bests that of the smart fortwo with a 0.8-liter diesel engine. The ground-breaking model will be officialy launched at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, with deliveries set to start in 2014.
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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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