Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to launch ten plug-in hybrid models by 2017, and with that announcement, the automaker revealed its second PHEV: the C 350 Plug-in Hybrid. The C 350 Plug-in Hybrid follows the recent introduction of the S Class Plug-in Hybrid with sales expected to kick off this spring. With a fully-charged battery, this new vehicle can travel up to 19 miles in electric mode.
“The Plug-in Hybrid is an investment in the future of Mercedes-Benz and we believe it will become established as the successful technology for maximum efficiency coupled with powerful dynamic performance,” stated Prof Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.
Related: Mercedes-Benz unveils self-driving, hydrogen-powered F 015 Luxury in Motion vehicle at CES
Unlike the larger S 550 Plug-in Hybrid, which is powered by a V6 engine, the C 350 Plug-in Hybrid is uses a smaller 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is coupled to a brushless electric motor. The plug-in hybrid system generates a total 279 horsepower and a massive 442 lb-ft. Those power figures will make it perform more like a sports sedan than a typical hybrid. It only takes 5.9 seconds to reach 62 mph, while a top speed of 155 mph will be reached in a breeze. The lithium-ion battery pack also can be fully recharged in under two hours using a 240-volt outlet.
Mercedes-Benz has not announced any pricing, but when it arrives it will go head-to-head with the BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid and the upcoming Audi A4 plug-in Hybrid.
+ Mercedes-Benz
Photos by Marc Carter for Inhabitat
