Officially, on notoriously optimistic European fuel tests, the E300 Bluetec Hybrid will average 54-56 mpg.Įconomy figures from relatively short runs-we drove the car around 13 miles in total-and deduced entirely from the on-board trip computer must always be taken with a pinch of salt. The engine also frequently cuts out at speed, allowing the car to coast-Mercedes says that the engine can cut off at any speed below 100 mph.Įven with the engine running, economy is still impressive. When it does, it's admirably quiet and smooth-very nearly as slick as the gasoline-powered Lexus GS 450h. The engine soon kicks in if you press the gas pedal any harder, and thanks to the tiny electric dial it's much easier to accidentally drive at a pace where the engine kicks in. A little beep signifies that the car is "Ready", at which point you can pull away on electric power alone. Starting up-like many hybrids-is a silent experience. Drive selection is handled by a tiny lever, no bigger than you'd expect for a cruise control lever, just behind the steering wheel. There's little in the cabin to give away the car's means of propulsion, save for the tiny electric motor assistance gauge swinging away in the instrument cluster, and the tachometer occasionally registering zero rpm. We tested neither the former nor the latter, but both are believable figures given the ease by which higher speeds are reached.
Mercedes quotes a 0-62 mph time of 7.5 seconds, and a top speed of around 150 mph. In fact, it's hard not to believe there's a six-cylinder turbodiesel under the hood, such is the refinement of the car-more than a match for other hybrid luxury sedans in the class, including the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 and Lexus GS 450h. Suffice to say, the combination of diesel and electric power is a smooth, refined and punchy pairing. Virtually everything can be adjusted to find your ideal driving position, and you'll want for very little equipment.Ī large display in the center of the dashboard can be set to display the hybrid drivetrain's status, as well as other standard functions, like navigation and audio. The interior is luxuriously-appointed, spacious, and feels like it will last for a thousand years. Otherwise, it's standard Mercedes-Benz E Class: An imposing, Germanic profile, large grille with three-pointed star sat atop, and a slippery drag coefficient of only 0.25, thanks to careful surfacing. The only giveaways are relatively small wheels-wrapped in chunky low rolling-resistance tires-and a "Bluetec Hybrid" badge on the trunk lid.
There's little externally to signal the car's hybrid drivetrain. This develops 201 hp and over 368 lb-ft of torque (from only 1,600 rpm), though as usual you can't just combine the electric and diesel outputs for a total figure. With a 20 kW (27 horsepower), 184 lb-ft electric motor providing assistance, the E300 uses only a relatively small 2.1-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel to provide motive force. Like the Infiniti M Hybrid and BMW's ActiveHybrid 5, the Mercedes uses a traditional automatic transmission (seven speeds, in this case), rather than an e-CVT planetary gearset like Toyota and Ford hybrids. Mercedes' diesel-electric hybrid is more similar to traditional petrol-electric setups, where an electric motor is mated to the engine. This is known as a "through the road" hybrid system. In the Peugeot, a 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder supplied power to the front wheels, while a rear-mounted electric motor supplied the back wheels, in a part-time all-wheel-drive format.
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