Bay Harbour: July 05, 2023

16 Bay Harbour News Wednesday July 5 2023
Hybrid with luxury and speed
ADDRESSING fluctuating fuel
prices is a battle many households
are facing at present. That has
prompted many buyers to look
at alternative means of propulsion
– the take-up of electric vehicles is
staggering, it’s a market that
is going from strength to strength.
Although it’s not all that
straightforward, supply issues are
playing a part and there are many
buyers who, like me, don’t want to
fully give up fossil fuel and don’t
want to rely solely on sourcing
electricity as a way of travel.
That’s where hybrids come in,
and in-particular plug-in hybrids,
those that can be charged from
home or a designated charge
port and have the benefit of a
petrol engine in the background
so that you can travel in pure EV
mode for some distance and have
traditional four-cylinder power for
longer trips.
There are an ever-increasing
number of plug-in EVs landing in
our market, most of them sport
utility vehicles, and that is what
the market is also demanding.
However, if it’s a sedan you are
after and want to explore the
luxury market, then Mercedes-
Benz may have the car for you –
the C 350 e – it is a plug-in hybrid
with a 2-litre petrol engine. What’s
more, it is built with the true
Mercedes-Benz logic of comfort,
luxury and performance.
Even though it joins the
C-Class series, it lands here in
one specification only that lists at
$111,200. It’s around $6000 and
$23,000 more expensive than its
non-hybrid counterparts, but it
will give you fuel usage benefits
and will travel up to 100km on
purely electric.
According to Mercedes-
Benz the C 350 e will provide a
combined cycle fuel usage average
of 1.5-litre per 100km. That is, of
course, at best possible usage –
the readouts were listing around
7l/100km during my testing time,
which in real-world terms is about
as good as you can expect on a
commute or highway run. At
100km/h the engine sips fuel at
the rate of 5l/100km.
Under the bonnet sits a 2-litre
turbocharged engine. This is
much the same unit that is fitted
to the C 200 and C 300, although
the power outputs are down
significantly to the latter at 150kW
against 190kw and 320Nm against
400Nm. However, when you have
another 95kW and 440Nm from
the electric motor it’s as strong
under the bonnet as it needs to
be. On the subject of figures and
performance, Mercedes-Benz also
claims a 6.1sec to accelerate from a
standstill to 100km/h.
Cleverly, power is directed
ECONOMIC: The Mercedes-Benz C 350 e has an average
combined cycle fuel usage of 1.5-litre per 100km.
MERCEDES-BENZ: The C 350 e may be more expensive than its non-hybrid counterparts
but will travel up to 100km purely on electricity.
through a fairly traditional ninespeed
automatic transmission.
Such are the number of ratios
drive is seamless and smooth, well
the entire driving experience is
smooth, but the point I’m trying to
make as well is that the C 350 e is
little different to drive than any of
its C-Class stablemates.
I took the evaluation car on a
long highway journey, the scenic
route (SH 72) is one of
my favourites and it was
perfect the day I drove to South
Canterbury. Even though the
roads were wet at times, it felt
well attached to the road and
comfortable for a long period at
the wheel.
The C 350 e is stunningly quiet
and civilised and it has impeccable
handling manners. Riding on high
quality 18in Bridgestone Turanza
rubber there is a solid footprint on
the road surface that translates to
a very pointy feel at the steering
wheel. Turn-in is precise and
any body movement over the
suspension can be discounted, at
just 1.4m tall gravitational forces
aren’t high.
All C-Class models in New
• Price – Mercedes-Benz
C 350 e, $111,200
• Dimensions – Length,
4574mm; width, 1876mm;
height, 1664mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
1991cc, 150kW
(+95kW), 320Nm
(+440Nm), nine-speed
automatic
• Performance – 0-100km/
h, 6.1sec
• Fuel usage – 1.5l/100km
Zealand drive through the rear
wheels, and the C 350 e is no
exception. The energy coming
through the gearbox is harnessed
well by the suspension and
independent axle set-up, there’s
never a point where you think rear
end breakaway would develop,
the engineering refinement
contains all of that, along with
the sophisticated electronic safety
components.
The evaluation car was showing
an almost 800km distance to
empty (petrol) when I picked it up.
After 450km I took it back to the
dealership still showing 500km to
empty. That’s just an example of
how thrifty the C 350 e is on
the highway and associated
commute.
If you want to keep the batteries
charged I’m pleased to report
that both a fast charge cable (type
2) and a domestic supply cable
are included; the latter has good
length at 8m, perfect for my
unique charging situation at home
and, as a comparison, it’s twice the
length of that which I was using
recently in the BYD Atto 3.
Mercedes-Benz is launching
head-first into the realm of electric
vehicle transport, it was just a few
weeks ago that I drove the fully
electric EQS, both have impressed
me simply through quality and the
commitment to provide a natural
driving experience, one that you
would find in any new model
from the marque.
Personally, I’d have the
hybrid first, the turbocharged
four-cylinder engine that goes
through much Mercedes-Benz
product is simply a delight, the
benefit hybrid technology brings
in terms of fuel savings is just a
bonus.
subscribe
AND sAVe
17%
OFF THe rrP*
*Based on savings
for 12 issues
New ZealaNd’s
premier magaZiNe
for lovers of
yesterday’s cars
classicdriver.co.nz
0800 624 295