Does Mercedes Have A Hybrid?

Yes. As one of the world’s leading car manufacturers, Mercedes has a whole range of hybrid vehicles available.

In fact, Mercedes has been leaning more and more heavily on hybrid technology to meet its goal of producing quality cars whilst maximizing fuel efficiency and limiting emissions.

Does Mercedes Have A Hybrid

As of today, about one-quarter of new Mercedes vehicles sold in Europe are either pure EVs or hybrids. 

So, if you’re looking to learn more about Mercedes’ hybrid range, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll be discussing what Mercedes has to offer in the way of hybrid vehicles. First off, we’ll look at Mercedes’ range of plug-in hybrids. 

Dive into my comprehensive guide on the automakers that sell hybrid cars in the United States in 2023, complete with in-depth coverage.

Plug-In Hybrids: Mercedes EQ Power

Mercedes’ EQ Power range is Mercedes’ range of plug-in hybrids. So what is a plug-in hybrid?

Like a normal hybrid, a plug-in hybrid has both an internal combustion engine and battery and electric motor.

Unlike regular hybrids, plug-in hybrids are designed specifically to offer a reasonable amount of range in electric-only mode, where the car uses only the battery and motor to travel.

In order for this functionality to work, the car has to be regularly plugged in and charged, hence the name.  

Like regular hybrids, the car can also run on the gasoline engine alone or with the two propulsion systems working in tandem for maximum efficiency.

With limited range, the EV mode is intended for shorter trips and city driving, whilst for longer trips you’ll find it easier to rely on hybrid mode. 

But what does this look like in the real world, in a Mercedes plug-in hybrid? Let’s look at an example.

The Mercedes A-Class Plug-In Hybrid: The A250e

The A250e has a 1.3-liter engine alongside a 10.6kWh battery. The total combined output of these two systems is 218 brake horsepower.

Compared to comparable non-hybrid Mercedes models like the A200, which also has a 1.3-liter engine, that’s an extra 55 brake horsepower and an additional 148lb worth of torque.  

You could argue that the A250e needs it, though. The presence of the hefty battery in the car’s rear makes the A250e some 300kg heavier than A200.

The end result is that the A250e does zero to sixty in 6.6 seconds, which is more than 1.4 seconds faster than the A200.

Additional benefits of the A250e over the conventional A200 are a WLTP-certified fuel consumption rate of 280 miles per gallon and an advertised electric-only range of 44 miles.

Having said that, it’s probably worth taking these figures with a pinch of salt. 

The main trade-offs between the conventional A200 and the plug-in hybrid the A250e are that the conventional car offers slightly more trunk space (355 liters for the A200 versus just 310 for the A250e) as it does not have to house a battery.

It also has slightly less power overall. Understandably, the conventional A200 is also cheaper- about $3,700 cheaper. 

The same goes for all of Mercedes’ plug-in hybrid range, which also includes several cars in the B class, C class, E class, S class, and more.

In exchange for better fuel efficiency and lower emissions, Mercedes’ plug-in hybrids cost more and have less storage space at the rear of the car where the battery is housed. 

Does Mercedes Have A Hybrid (1)

Mild Hybrids: Mercedes EQ Boost

Mercedes do not just offer plug-in hybrids, although they are becoming ever more popular. They also offer traditional hybrids.

Unlike the more modern and sophisticated plug-in hybrids, traditional hybrid models cannot be run on battery power alone, and thus do not need to be plugged in.

Instead, traditional hybrids work in conjunction with the gasoline engine to give a slight boost to overall power, and s significant boost to overall performance and fuel efficiency.

Rather than needing to be plugged in, the car’s engine keeps the battery charged not unlike how a car battery is charged by the engine in a conventional car.

Many of Mercedes’ more recent models are actually mild hybrids, as they come fitted with EQ boost as standard.

These include the Mercedes C200 and C300, the E200 and E450, and the S500. 

Mercedes-AMG Hybrids

Mercedes-AMG, or AMG for short, is a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG that focuses on the development and manufacture of high-performance vehicles. In other words, AMG represents the absolute best of what Mercedes has to offer. 

Unsurprisingly, AMG cars are also looking to make use of advances in technology, with plug-in hybrids set to become the norm for the AMG over the next few years.

Upcoming AMG models will all incorporate the new P3 hybrid performance layout.

This layout will feature both the 2 liter four-cylinder and 4 liter V8 engines currently fitted to AMG models, as well as a new rear-mounted, two-speed transmission electric motor.

As an example, the new AMG C63 variant of the C class uses this hybrid layout. 

At the very top-end of the scale, the forthcoming Mercedes-AMG One, which is for all intents and purposes a road-legal Formula One car, will also be a hybrid, fitted with an 800v battery. 

Are Mercedes Hybrids Better For The Environment?

Of course, in theory, Mercedes’ range of hybrid vehicles is better for the environment.

These cars are more fuel efficient, and thus burn less fossil fuel, and therefore emit fewer greenhouse gasses.

They are also designed to be run entirely on the battery for a large part of the time, burning no fossil fuels at all. 

However, critics argue that hybrids are in reality no greener than conventional cars because they are made using a production process that is heavy on fossil fuels.

A large part of the problem is driven by the battery, which contains lithium.

Lithium is often extracted in a process that uses lots of fossil fuels and creates large scars on the landscape, destroying the local environment. 

To combat this, Mercedes is aiming to have a completely carbon-neutral supply chain by 2039.

A large part of this strategy is to verify that the batteries it uses in its EVs and hybrids are carbon neutral themselves.

Final Thoughts

Yes, Mercedes does have many hybrid cars to choose from, including both traditional and plug-in hybrids.

They tend to be more expensive than conventional cars, but offer increased power, improved fuel economy, and lower your personal carbon footprint.

Plug-ins have the added advantage of being able to function solely as an EV if you so wish. However, they might not be quite as green as we’d like- yet!

Jonathan Rice

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