E-Class goes electric
The E 350 e plug-in hybrid heralds greater electrification of the Mercedes-Benz range. We drove the hybrid ahead of its launch.
DRIVING a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is not much different from driving a conventional engine-only car. The basics are the same.
Start it up, get in gear, and off you go. But one has to get accustomed to a few things about PHEVs.
You will visit the petrol station less often provided you don’t have a heavy right foot by default. That’s the delightful part.
The tedium is having to deal with a long power cord if you want to charge up the Li-ion battery.
You do not ever have to, of course, as the car can do it on the go with the engine charging it but at the expense of using more fuel.
We reckoned some owners will not bother using the cable or use it sparingly because it is simply one task too many for them.
Patience is also required when topping up a PHEV to full charge. Using the portable charger supplied, it will take around three hours to bring the battery from minimal to full charge.
With PHEVs, the ideal situation is to charge them up at home overnight to keep running costs down, so the battery is fully juiced up for the next day. The battery is also charged during regenerative braking.
With a plug-in car, the whole point is to charge it from an external power source to get the most out of it.
If not, kiss the 2.1l/100km fuel efficiency goodbye!
On top of such considerations, you will have to buy a different type of cable (the Type-2 cable will run a few thousand ringgit) if you want to use the free public chargers in the Klang Valley.
Until wireless charging become mainstream, feet-tripping cables are the way to go for the next few years.
If you manage your expectations cost of car notwithstanding – the next PHEV to hit the local scene could be up your alley.
CarSifu had first crack at the Mercedes-Benz E 350 e over an August weekend. This is the first PHEV in the E-Class after the Malaysian rollout of the C 350 e, with Mercedes promising many more across its product line.
The locally assembled E 350 e replaced the fully imported E 300 as the top variant in the model range.
Available from this month, the PHEV comes in three trim levels – RM392,888 Exclusive Line, RM395,888 AMG Line and RM408,888 Edition 60.
As a thoroughly modern E-Class, the E 350 e conforms to the model range mission to broaden its appeal and draw in a youngish crowd with its youthful styling, made sportier with AMG kit.
The add-ons include AMG exterior and interior styling, AMG sports steering wheel, 19-inch five-spoke AMG alloy wheels, air suspension, Multibeam LED headlights, perforated brake discs, panoramic sliding glass roof and front sports seats.
The E 350 e does not so much shout its hybrid status as hint it through small side emblems, a rear bumper charging port and blue front callipers.
The well-appointed interior is a mix of black and brown nappa leather upholstery, carbon-fibre-like inserts and plenty of soft touchpoints to infuse the cabin with an ambience of luxurious comfort.
There is the dual 12.3-inch widescreen digital screens as seen in the E 250 and a choice of meter displays – Classic, Sport or Progressive – to choose from.
In the E 350 e, the meter cluster has been tweaked to show hybrid-specific info such as electric range and hybrid operating modes.
Adequate headroom and legroom make the rear bench seats comfortable for two; the middle passenger will have to compromise on comfort as he straddles the transmission tunnel in the rearwheel drive car.
The bulky Li-ion battery is stashed in the boot, resulting in a terraced boot floor and reducing usable storage space to 400 litres, 10 litres less than what the BMW 530e offers, and 140 litres less than what is found in the non-hybrid E-Class.
Both the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and 6.2kWh battery are the same as those used in the C 350 e but the E 350 e gets a more powerful electric motor that has been specially designed for the 9-speed plug-in hybrid transmission.
The 2.0-litre engine in the E 350 e produces 211hp and 350Nm of torque, while the compact electric motor, housed within the transmission, delivers 87hp (+7hp) and 440Nm (+100Nm).
Combined output and torque are 286hp from 3,800rpm to 5,500rpm and 550Nm.
Zero to 100kph is reached in just 6.2 seconds, with top speed capped at 250kph.
The instant torque of the electric motor, paired with a high-revving engine, makes the E 350 e feel agile.
If the battery has sufficient charge, the car will start in electric mode and goes fast – quietly.
The initial feeling is surreal but you quickly get into it after a few hours with the car.
Mercedes-Benz claims it can run on electricity for 33km at a top speed of 130kph but it’s more like 20-plus km in real world conditions.
Once the battery is low on power, the engine quickly takes over, noticeable by the rather diesel-like note it transmits into the cabin. However, the noise fades rapidly once the car musters up speed.
In day-to-day driving, the E 350 e offers the characteristic comfort and refinements expected of an E-Class.
Corners are where it starts to roll noticeably but it is reined in when you set the air suspension in Sport or Sport+ mode for a more controlled entry and exit out of the twisties.
The driver can toggle through four operating modes in the hybrid system except in Sport setting.
E-save tells the hybrid system to maintain the charge status of the battery to allow for all-electric driving at a later stage in the journey.
As the name implies, Charge instructs the engine to charge the battery while on the move, to enable all-electric driving later.
E-mode is where the car is set up for all-electric driving for instances where the battery holds sufficient charge for the remainder of the journey. It’s also appreciated in traffic jams; you will love the fact that you are not wasting fuel like the rest around you and doing your bit for the environment.
All said and done, the E 350 e looks like a great commuter car for those working in KL/PJ but staying on the outskirts.
Doing 60km to 150km a day with some of it pollution-free driving does sound eminently pleasing.
Even the city-bound will not be averse to coveting a car that has the hallmarks of a Mercedes and is technologically innovative for the times.
> More details and pictures at carsifu.my