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Mercedes-Benz S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID can cut lifecycle CO2 by up to 56% compared to S 500

S500
Comparison of CO2 emissions for the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID and the S 500 [t/car]. Source: TÜV SÜD. Click to enlarge.

The Mercedes-Benz S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID (earlier post) can cut CO2 emissions by some 43% when recharged using the European electricity mix and by up to 56% when using hydroelectricity compared to the conventional S 500 model on a full lifecycle basis, according to the environmental certificate awarded by TÜV SÜD.

TÜV SÜD awarded the life cycle assessment environmental certificate in accordance with ISO TR (technical report) 14062. (ISO/TR 14062:2002 describes concepts and current practices relating to the integration of environmental aspects into product design and development, and is applicable to the development of sector-specific documents. It is not applicable as a specification for certification and registration purposes.)

The award is based on a comprehensive assessment of the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID, taking into account ISO 14040 and 14044 regarding life cycle assessment (principles and general requirements, definition of goal & scope, inventory analysis, life cycle impact assessment, interpretation, critical review) and ISO 14020 (environmental labels and declarations – general principles) and ISO 14021 (criteria for self-declared environmental claims.) The certificate documents the model’s environmental performance from development through to recycling, across the entire lifecycle. (All three hybrid S-Class models—S 400 HYBRID, S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, and S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID—are covered in the TÜV SÜD document.)

Over the entire life cycle, comprising manufacture, use over 300,000 kilometers [186,411 miles] and recycling, clear advantages result compared with the S 500. External charging with the European electricity mix can cut CO2 emissions by some 43 percent (35 tonnes). Through the use of renewably generated hydroelectricity a 56 percent reduction (46 tonnes) is possible.

—“Life cycle environmental certificate Mercedes-Benz S-Class including S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID”

The Mercedes-Benz S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID offers peak system output of 325 kW (436 hp) and 650 N·m (479 lb-ft) torque, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a fast 5.2 seconds and can drive up to 33 km (20.5 miles) purely electrically. The certified consumption in Europe is 2.8 liters/100 km (84 mpg US)—lower than Mercedes initially suggested upon the vehicle’s unveiling in 2013—which corresponds to 65 g CO2/km emissions. Key elements of this performance are the V6 biturbo and the intelligent hybrid drive.

The 3.0-liter V6 biturbo comes from the M276 engine family and features the BlueDIRECT injection and combustion system. The hybrid transmission is based on the 7G-TRONIC PLUS 7-speed automatic transmission. The plug-in-hybrid system in the S-Class is based on the Mercedes-Benz parallel hybrid modular system. The common system-specific feature is the additional clutch integrated between combustion engine and electric motor. The 8.7 kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery can be externally recharged via the charging socket in the right-hand side of the rear bumper.

Plug-in hybrids offer our customers the best of both worlds; in the city they can drive in all-electric mode, while on long journeys they benefit from the combustion engine’s range. In addition, hybridization not only makes the combustion engine lighter, it also brings with it a special type of dynamic performance—making driving an absolute pleasure.

The new S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID is the spearhead of our hybrid strategy. It offers the power and performance of a V8, but runs on as little fuel as a compact model—and it is able to cover more than 30 km with zero emissions. The upshot is a unique combination of luxury, driving pleasure and environmental compatibility.

—Professor Dr Herbert Kohler, Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler AG

The plug-in will be offered as the S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID in the US—the first hybrid model in the US for the new S-Class.

Comments

Patrick Free

Ha ha, just a ridiculous 8.7KWH battery pack... Keep it !

Davemart

The emissions will further improve when they have the new higher energy density pack due in 2016, which will give them 50km AER on the NEDC cycle.

Davemart

@Patrick:
Its not a Tesla, which for you would rule it out in any case, one feels.

Its not a Masserati either, but sells on its own merits.

Patrick Free

@Davemart. I'm still running a too old BMW 530DA, and I've been on BMW new cars for almost 25 years and on German cars since I started to work and buy new cars.... My conversion to Tesla is not completed yet, and would be a heart breaker, as my hart is all with BMW, or eventually Porsche or Audi, why not Mercedes, German brands. I still have a few doubts on Tesla (I still see them as a proprieritary Apple of the cars market, while I'm all on Androïd, if you see what I mean), but their long range EVs strategy combined with their accelerated 135KW Superchargers rollout by end of 2015 make them the best choice for me starting 2016. In any case I will wait for their next step +30% more capacity # 110KWH - P110D Model X to be announced before I place a deposit on Model X, for a delivery in 2016 hopefully. So I'm still opened to good surprises from Germany. But to be very open, after 3 years of chasing a good PHEV SUV from German Brands I lost faith in them, and each time I see another 10KWH or less model presented as a PHEV, when it's only another ICE car with an "electric turbo" like here, I get mad. At best I assume it's because they are lagging a good Battery techno. At worst that they are just not serious about trying to make a good Tesla like long range EV or even a decent PHEV that at least could move the local commutes to a decent all electric mode. Plus the fact they announce nothing regarding SuperChargers confirms they are still not even trying to do something here.
The minimum I want is to do all my 65KM # 42 Miles daily local commutes in a sporty All Electric mode (>200 HP of electric motors power required for an SUV), with a battery lasting as much as the rest of the car (A good battery last 3000 x full charge cycles. Means with 2 x charges per day it lasts 5 years, or 1 x charge per day 10Y, or 1 charge every 2 x days it can last # as much as the rest of the car).
The Plug-in Hybrids set as Electric turbos only like here, are only good to kid with EU regulations to leverage the favorable EU cycle used today to (wrongly) count the petrol usage and CO2, to avoid paying taxes while doing nothing useful for the planet at the end.

mahonj

The hydro electricity thing is a bit of a red herring.
Where can you get such power ?
Norway maybe.
They might as well have said France and used their predominantly nuclear mix if they wanted a large very low carbon market, but I suppose nuclear electricity isn't as fashionable as hydro.

Still, it is a decent analysis, and the car really does consume much less power than the standard v8.
Also, I wouldn't sneeze at 30km of e-drive, as long as you use it in cities.
IMO, it is a very good strategy for luxury cars to go PHEV: you get the best of all worlds and have a vehicle that is expensive enough to support a PHEV drive.

mahonj

Another idea - where else do you get low carbon electricity - Germany: from 11-4pm in summer.
(also Canada - Harvey).

People are at work at this time.
Thus, the price could include fitting an outdoor charger to your place of work.
This wouldn't have to be a very powerful charger, even 3kw for 8 hours would be enough to charge most things up to and including a Leaf.
It could be an extra cost add-on - an eco charger.
You don't need solar panels or anything, just a mains charger at the executive parking spaces (!)

HarveyD

Our e-network is currently 96% Hydro and 4% Wind going to (95% - 5%) by mid-2015 and 90% - 10% by 2020 or so.

Combined Hydro and Wind are being developed at the rate of about 1,500 to 2,000 megawatt/year. Unless we can sell more of our surpluses to Ontario and/or North Eastern USA, further development may have to be postphones till 2027 or so.

Meanwhile, with current rate of climate changes, more water and Wind is available and existing facilities are progresively producing more.

Feeding 3 to 5 million BEVs with clean electricity and progressively phase out as many ICEVs would certainly not be a problem.

Improved lower cost batteries is the the key element, not the availability of clean electricity.

HarveyD

Norway is another place with clean electricity?

Jus7tme

>>Through the use of renewably generated hydroelectricity a 56 percent reduction (46 tonnes) is possible.

What a bunch of hooey. There is no surplus hydroelectricty in Germany or anywhere, for that sake,.

>>2.8 liters/100 km (84 mpg US)

Does not account for the fossile fuel going into satisfying the incremental electricity demand from this vehicle.

>>which corresponds to 65 g CO2/km emissions

Totally false, again does not account for the fossile fuel going into satisfying the incremental electricity demand from this vehicle.

Look, Mercedes. If you want do to something more useful than writing press releases, you are going to have to build a car that truly gets 50 MPG, like a Prius. While still getting Mercedes performance. Are you up for the challenge?

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