The Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid -- for those with cash and consciences
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The Prius and the Smart Fortwo are all very well, but what about those people who need a bigger, more upscale car yet would still love to reduce their carbon footprint? Granted, there is the Lexus LS 600h hybrid luxury sedan -- which gets 22 mpg on the highway -- and, um, that’s about it. Soon, however, Mercedes-Benz will offer another option. The 2009 S400 BlueHybrid.
This is a version of the S-Class, a venerable institution in the premium sector. The S350, to be exact. There is a reworked version of that model’s 279-horsepower, 3.5-liter gasoline-powered V-6. Yes, gasoline. The Blue part of the name might suggest to regular readers that diesel was involved. Perhaps M-B just wants to stand apart from everyone else purporting to be green.
Sharing the engine bay is a hybrid system with a 20-hp electric motor. And here’s the big news... the battery is lithium-ion. M-B is claiming that this makes the S400 BlueHybrid the world’s first production car to employ lithium-ion technology. What’s more, it’s compact enough to fit under the hood -- no sacrificing cabin or cargo space for battery storage.
Like other hybrid systems, this one has a start/stop function -- useful when standing at traffic lights -- and employs braking energy to help recharge the battery pack. A seven-speed automatic transmission has been configured especially for this drivetrain. Compared with a standard S350, carbon dioxide emissions are lower by 21%.
The S400 BlueHybrid should be here by next summer, and expect fuel consumption figures to be impressive for a car of this size. Estimates put it at 29 mpg.