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In a press conference devoted to alternative drivetrain concepts, Mercedes-Benz unveiled two different hybrid concepts, both based on the latest S-Class saloon. "For the drive concepts of the near future the objective is to make petrol cars as efficient as diesels, and diesels as clean as petrol cars", said Dr. Thomas Weber, research, development and technology executive, and another of Mercedes' key objectives was not to compromise on either driving dynamics, ride comfort or safety.
One way of doing this is shown in the Direct Hybrid: this features the new 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine in combination with an electric motor. This develops 300bhp and 291lb ft of torque, is capable of 150 mph-plus and 0-60mph acceleration in 7.5 seconds, yet returns a creditable 34mpg, an improvement of around 25percent over the standard S350's economy. That's how to make a petrol model as efficient as a diesel...
...and how to make a diesel as clean as a petrol model is demonstrated in the Bluetec Hybrid, which Mercedes-Benz claims is "the cleanest diesel in the world." It features the M-B particulate filter, of course, but the Bluetec system - an exhaust gas purification technology - reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by around 80percent through a series of catalysts. In addition, the 3.0 V6 diesel works in tandem with an electric motor, giving an improvement in fuel economy of around 20mpg. The Bluetec Hybrid is good for 243bhp, 424lb ft and 0-60mph in 7.7 seconds, whilst returning 36.7mpg. Both this and the Direct Hybrid are so-called 'mild hybrids', with the electric motor acting as extra assistance rather than a powerplant in its own right, but incorporate stop-start technology to cut out the engine when idling and then restart it, and regenerative braking to capture the energy lost under deceleration.
Mercedes-Benz is hopeful of bringing hybrids to market in the not too distant future, especially since signing a deal with General Motors and, more recently, BMW for a joint venture. However, it is also looking at alternative fuels which can be used with conventional combustion engines, such as natural gas, biomass and biodiesel, and investing heavily in its fuel cell research programme. It said that its A-Class F-Cell test fleet has now covered around 440,000 km in around 90,000 hours of road-time, and that "the reactions of the customers and passengers are very positive, and give valuable insights that will help ensure the success of further development plans."
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