Mercedes-Benz C 300 de: plug-in hybrid and diesel

Mercedes is embracing plug-in hybrid technology, including in combination with diesel engines. Its new C 300 de is a model worth following.

In Mercedes-Benz they already announced that they still believe in the potential of diesel engines. And what better way than to combine the fuel-economy advantages of diesel powertrains with those of plug-in hybrid technology, which, in the case of the brand with the star, is now in its third generation.

The result applied to the Mercedes C-Class is the new C 300 de, which will be available from mid-2019 in saloon and estate body styles. And its figures are impressive. With the modern 4-cylinder Mercedes turbodiesel engine producing 194 CV, combined with a 90 kW electric motor and the excellent 9G-TRONIC automatic gearbox, it delivers a total system output of 225 kW (306 CV), with 700 Nm of peak torque available from just 1,400 rpm.

Almost 60 km of range in electric mode

If the performance is outstanding, the consumption is even more so. The Mercedes C 300 de accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, thanks to the instant response provided by the electric motor. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h, and the homologated combined consumption starts from 1.4 l/100 km, with an electric consumption of 18.7 kWh/100 km.

The 13.5 kWh battery allows an electric-mode range of up to 57 km, so in the Spanish market the Mercedes C 300 de would carry the ECO label from the DGT. With the onboard 7.4 kW charger, the battery can be recharged to 100 percent of its capacity in just 1.5 hours, provided a Wallbox is installed.

Mercedes claims to have resolved the compatibility issues between diesel engines and hybrid technology thanks to a specific diesel particulate filter . Diesel plug-in hybrids face the problem that the particulate filter needs high exhaust gas temperatures, which is hard to achieve in a hybrid, whose main purpose is precisely to run with the engine switched off for as long as possible. The Mercedes solution is a filter that can be partially regenerated, without needing to fill up completely. To do so, it also relies on the electric motor, which can increase the load on the combustion engine to help reach the exhaust gas temperature needed for filter regeneration.

Looking ahead, Mercedes has also confirmed that it will add new plug-in hybrid versions to the range, in this case with petrol combustion engines.