Mercedes S400 well on its way to take on Lexus LS hybrid

Mercedes S400 well on its way to take on Lexus LS hybrid

The folks over at AutoCar have recently spotted the S400 Hybrid testing in Germany, showing that development is well on schedule for a 2009 market launch. This will make Mercedes the first auto maker to bring a hybrid car that uses lithium ion batteries to the roads, putting it a well ahead of Toyota and GM who plan to have a their lithium-ion powered cars on the market in late 2010.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid’s 279 horsepower V6 engine will be mated with a 20 horsepower electric engine that will allow for an average fuel-economy of 27mpg. That puts the S400 hybrid well ahead of the Lexus LS hybrid which gives an estimated fuel-economy of 20mpg in the city and 22 on the highway.

However, performance wise the S400 will take 7.3 seconds to go from 0-60, while the Lexus LS takes 5.5. But let’s not forget that when shopping in this segment, performance figures are not a buyer’s first priority.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid will also feature other fuel-saving technologies such as an automatic star-stop system, similar to the BMW Efficient Dynamics program.

You can expect to see the S400 on the market in mid-2009. The Mercedes ML450 hybrid will arrive first in early 2009.

 

Source: AutoCar

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