At the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show, German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz showcased it plug-in model hybrid version of S500. The upcoming model of Mercedes-Benz will be a flagship model for the company in its S-Class range. According to a statement released by the company, the upcoming car has been developed keeping in mind the ecological concerns. The S500 Plug-In Hybrid car renders a mileage of 100 kilometres per three litres along with releasing carbon dioxide emission of just 69g/km.
During the course of the event, Mercedes-Benz also said that this flagship hybrid model is powered by the lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a normal household socket. This new feature is exclusive for the S500 hybrid version and it is being said that S300 and S400 variants of the same technology might get this feature in the future. The recently showcased Mercedes-Benz car is available in four different driving modes, namely normal hybrid, electric power only, electric power save and charge mode.
Mercedes-Benz S500 plug-in hybrid derives power from a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged engine combined with an 80kW electric motor. This engine has the capability to produce a peak output of 329 bhp while generating a maximum torque of 480 Nm. The S500 hybrid has a capability to reach a top speed of 155 mph.
In terms of features, the Mercedes-Benz S-500 hybrid gets a new feature of anticipatory energy management system, which senses the road ahead through the global positioning system fitted in the car and prepares it for the next eight kilometres. On being asked about the need for providing such feature, officials from the Daimler-owned firm told that its main motive is to increase efficiency when going downwards on a road. During scenarios like these, the electric motor comes into play and powers the car along the road.
Apart from these, the car gets innovative features like second-generation regenerative braking system that automatically switches off the engine while the car is running. Along with providing assistance in attaining optimum fuel-efficiency, this system also transfers the excessive energy of the wheels to charge lithium-ion batteries. It is also reported that S500's batteries offer 10 times more storage capacity than previously unveiled hybrid models of Mercedes-Benz like S400 and S300 BlueTEC models.
In the meanwhile, the demand of electric vehicles has been generating a lot off late. With slowly diminishing fuel resources, major auto makers are compelled to test different technologies. Every major auto maker is trying to invent an alternative technology apart from traditional fuels. Hybrid vehicles uses two or more different sources of power to move the vehicle. These vehicles are powered with internal combustion engine, which works in tandem with an electric motor. Toyota Prius has been the front runner for Hybrid vehicles when it comes to earning the highest share.
