Driving a $90,000 Hybrid

Posted by admin on May 28th, 2009 at 19:42
Category: Green Cars | 0 Comment |

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So what’s it like driving a gas-electric Mercedes Benz that costs as much as four Toyota Prius hybrids? Pretty sweet, actually.

Popular Mechanics spent some time behind the wheel of the new S 400 Hybrid and walked away impressed. The car is noteworthy for being the first hybrid Benz and the first production hybrid to use a lithium ion battery.

Mercedes outfitted an extensively modified S 350 (not available in the states) with a 20 horsepower electric motor mounted between the 3.5-liter V6 and the seven-speed automatic transmission. The mild hybrid combination is good for 295 horsepower and 285 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid hardware adds 160 pounds to the car but PopMech says acceleration is “acceptably brisk” with a zero to 60 time in the 7-second range.

Fuel economy is estimated at 33 mpg on the highway and 23 around town. More impressive is the low CO2 emissions of 186 grams per kilometer.

The battery uses 32 cells manufactured by Saft. They’re encased in gel and housed in a metal case that is cooled by the air conditioning compressor. A sophisticated voltage and management circuit regulates temperature, output voltage and charging level, according to Popular Mechanics. The 120 watt battery has an output of 0.7 kilowatt hours and can provide up to five seconds of full power to the car.

As for the driving experience and opulence level, it’s about what you’d expect from a car with a sticker price approaching six figures.

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