Mercedes-Benz Electrifies S-Class; S400 BlueHYBRID

As was predicted by several concept cars over the past few years,

Mercedes-Benz is going down the hybrid road. These include the Direct Hybrid and the Bluetec Hybrid, both derived from the current generation S-Class, as well as the latest compact crossover, the GLK Bluetec Hybrid. But now, Mercedes-Benz is making the official leap over from show car to true production vehicle.

The new Hybrid, dubbed S400 BlueHYBRID will, as its name suggests be based off the S-Class, but what might lead to a bit of confusion is the attached name. BlueHYBRID, M-B's new corporate term for hybrid doesn't use a BlueTEC-equipped engine as its name might imply. Instead, it uses the brand's 3.5-liter gasoline-powered V6 (as seen in the C, E, SLK and others), which is the S-Class' base gasoline engine for much of Europe, and mates it to a 15 kW electric motor.

It's a different route than what Lexus has done with its LS600h. Rather than make its flagship S-Class a hybrid, the S400 BlueHYBRID

will target a broader audience, which should equate to greater market penetration and offer its customers who operate vehicles in CO2 -based taxation zones a luxurious yet cost-effective solution.

Using the hybrid technology that it developed in conjunction with BMW, Chrysler and GM, the S-Class is fully capable of traveling under pure electricity at low speeds. The 15 kW electric motor, developed by German components supplier ZF, is powered by a lithium-ion battery supplied by Continental. The standard S350 produces 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, and has a mixed fuel economy rating of 23 mpg. The S400 BlueHYBRID has an output of 295 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque, and achieves an average fuel economy rating of 30 mpg.

The new S-Class Hybrid is expected to begin production sometime during 2009; ZF has stated it will start producing 35,000 units of the electric motor this year, and has plans to eventually ramp up to 200,000 units, suggesting that Mercedes-Benz will have more hybrid models in store in the future.