94.2 mpg 2014 Mercedes S 500 Plug in hybrid sets new benchmarks

A few years ago mileage like this from a luxury sedan would have been thought impossible. Mercedes has just announced a new S 500 plug-in hybrid that will achieve 94.2 mpg in the European cycle. This sets new benchmarks for the luxury sedan segment and it can cover 100 kilometers while burning just three liters of fuel. The new S 500 Plug-in hybrid will be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month. Mercedes has released information early on the new fuel-stingy luxury sedan.

This new Mercedes hybrid is not only fuel-efficient, but it's fast. The new luxury saloon uses a 80-kW electric drive with externally rechargeable battery allows emission-free driving for about 18 miles. It’s mated to a new 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged engine which produces 245 kW plus 80-kW electric motor and torque of 480 Nm of the combustion engine plus 340 Nm of the electric motor. Top speed of the luxury hybrid is 155 mph and will sprint from 0-62 in just 5.5 seconds.

Mercedes says the new system allows for the gas engine to be completely decoupled from the electric motor for a seamless integration into the powertrain. Prof Dr Thomas Weber, responsible on the Daimler Board of Management for Group Research and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Product Engineering says, "With the S 500 Plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz sets another milestone on the road to emission-free mobility on the basis of our modular hybrid matrix. In this way the S-Class turns into a genuine three-liter car with generous space and superlative drive-system comfort."

Mercedes reveals that the new S 500 uses a high-voltage lithium-ion battery that has ten times the energy content and offers the option of being recharged from an external source with a charging socket located on the right side of the rear bumper. It delivers this kind of efficiency while providing excellent performance and passenger comfort thanks to the pre-entry climate control of the interior. More information will be revealed when it presents itself in Frankfurt.

The new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S 500 Plug-in hybrid will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month and will launch in Europe next year. This writer will be covering Mercedes-Benz here on Torque News so check back often to see the latest Mercedes news coming from the Frankfurt Auto Show.