Plug-in boost for Mercedes’ fuel-cell GLC

■ F-CELL SUV claims to be more viable option; 310-mile range

MERCEDES will launch a hydrogen-fuelled version of its GLC SUV – with added plug-in power – before the end of 2017. Revealed at the brand’s ‘Road to the Future’ event in Stuttgart last week, the GLC F-CELL will be the first production fuel-cell vehicle to get a usable all-electric range.

Head of strategy and product planning Wilko Stark dropped the bombshell at the conference, simply stating: “The fuel-cell is getting a plug.”

To date, all fuel-cell vehicles – including the Hyundai ix35 FCV and Toyota Mirai – have run solely on hydrogen. Stark claims Mercedes’ proposal will help those for whom hydrogen on its own isn’t a viable alternative to conventional petrol or diesel engines.

While the GLC F-CELL uses a regular SUV bodyshell, this particular model is rearwheel drive only. Total range is said to be in the region of 500km (310 miles) with a full tank and maximum charge. Mercedes claims the F-CELL can cover around 30 miles on electric power, while the two carbon fibre-encased tanks can hold 4kg of hydrogen and take around three minutes to fill.

As the car on display in Stuttgart was a prototype, we’ve no details on performance or price. Even so, E-drive System Integration boss Jürgen Schenk said the GLC F-CELL would be sold “at a price customers will accept”. An entry-level diesel costs £34,950 and we expect a basic F-CELL to command a premium of at least £10,000 to £15,000.

Mercedes has dabbled in hydrogen technology before with specially adapted limited series versions of the A-class and B-class, but the GLC will be its first car commercially available to the general public. It will launch in several key markets including Germany, Japan and the US towards the end of next year, before going on sale in the UK later.

Bosses say the F-CELL combines the advantages of both zero-emission drive technologies – continuously optimising the use of both energy sources. The GLC therefore acts exactly like Mercedes’ petrol-electric plug-in hybrids, and is likely to feature the same ‘e-save’ mode to conserve battery power for later use.

There are already eight petrol-electric plug-in hybrid models in the Mercedes line-up, with two more following by 2017.

“It’s claimed plug-in GLC will help those for whom hydrogen on its own isn’t a viable alternative to petrol or diesel”