Review
2014 Mercedes-Benz S 500 L Plug-In Hybrid
After the S 400 Hybrid and the S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, there is now a third hybrid variant of the Mercedes flagship: the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid. The recipe is a long S-Class, stunning as we already know it, equipped with an ultra-modern and innovative hybrid drive.
Engine
The S 500 Plug-In Hybrid, which is only available as a long version, is equipped with 2 engines. On the one hand we have a 3 liter V6 petrol engine with 2 turbos. This block has a power of 333 hp and a torque of 480 Nm. In addition, the S 500 also has an electric motor with a power of 85 kW and a torque of 340 Nm. The system power is 442 hp and the system torque is 650 Nm. The hybrid transmission is based on the 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic transmission. The S 500 takes just 5.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h and can continue to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. These are quite impressive figures for a car weighing more than 2 tonnes.
Hybrid
The interplay between the petrol engine and the electric motor is automatically controlled by the control system. As a driver you can also do this yourself make choices via 4 control modes: Hybrid, E-Mode, E-Save and Charge. In “Hybrid” the combustion engine and electric motor work together. In “E-Mode” the S 500 runs completely electrically as much as possible, ideal for driving in the city, for example. In “E-Save” you can save the battery in view of, for example, a place where you would like to drive completely electrically. In “Charge” you can charge the battery while driving. This goes fairly quickly. During our ride on the highway, we had already saved up another 15 km of electric driving (in theory) in about 15 minutes.
In addition to the control modes, you can also make choices via one of the three transmission modes. These modes vary from E for normal driving, E+ for optimal consumption and S for sporty driving.
In addition to being charged while driving, the S 500’s battery can also be charged via a cable and a plug that fits into any conventional socket. The car is then charged in +/- 2 to 3 hours. The electrical energy is stored in a lithium-ion battery. Once fully charged, on paper you can drive 33 km purely electrically.
In its pursuit of a perfect plug-in hybrid, Mercedes-Benz wants to be able to offer an S 500 in the future that is not charged via a cable, but via induction. This is of course not for tomorrow, but it does provide insight into the direction people want to go.
Equipment
The equipment of the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid appeals to the imagination. This car is equipped with climate control where you can choose a desired temperature linked to a departure time. The S-Class will then ensure that the car has already been warmed up or cooled down to the set desired temperature at the set time. The S-Class goes one step further by also warming up the steering wheel, the door armrests and the central console when it warms up. In the event of cooling down, the S-Class not only cools the air but also activates the optional seat ventilation. So no shivering in winter during the first 5 minutes of your ride.
You can also choose from 7 colors for setting the interior lighting. You immediately feel like you’re in a trendy lounge bar. You can also choose an interior scent or quietly enjoy a hot-stone massage that the seats can give you. In addition, the S-Class is also equipped with numerous safety systems and systems that make life easier for the driver. Since the S-Class is not a small car with its 5.2 meters in length, we also think the reversing camera and 360° camera (see demo in video) are a useful feature. And this is just a tip of the veil, because this goes on endlessly. A real pleasure to discover that car.
Conclusion
With the introduction of the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid, a new green and future-oriented chapter has been written in the story of the ultimate luxury sedan, the S-Class. We see the familiar S that turns every aspect of driving into a true experience and translates this into a hybrid car, where a quick ‘n dirty solution was not chosen. As we would expect from the S-Class, the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid is packed with technological innovations and we are already interested to see what this hybrid story will bring in the future.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
