Development of plug-in hybrid engines
One of the main objectives of the Mercedes car manufacturer is to focus everything on the electric and, one of the most important years - from this point of view - should be 2025. In fact, the introduction of platforms dedicated to battery-powered vehicles is planned. . Within the next five years, the German manufacturer plans to switch to the production of a 100% electric range. Therefore, for these reasons, Mercedes seems to have decided to stop developing plug-in hybrid engines. Apparently, this is not just a mere rumor, but the plan that the German manufacturer has already announced during the Munich Motor Show 2021.In fact, the top management of the Daimler Group seem to have confirmed that Mercedes will stop developing further plug-in hybrid powertrains. Specifically, one of Daimler's board members, Markus Schäfer, said that no new investments are planned for these engines. It seems to be evident, therefore, that the next cars of the brand will be equipped with technologies already on the market. However, it would seem that the farewell of plug-in technology (whose sales, in Italy, continue to grow) will not represent the only change that will be encountered in the next few years.
In fact, according to Mercedes, the presence of a battery pack will force manufacturers to revisit the design of vehicles as well. Therefore, it is very likely that there will be a change in both the proportions and the aesthetic aspect, so as to be able to reduce - as much as possible - the aerodynamic drag and ensure greater vehicle range. But, for the Mercedes car manufacturer, the future could also be characterized by the farewell of some car segments. An example could be the farewell of station wagons, to leave more space for crossovers and SUVs. The same could happen for convertibles, as these are cars that require financial investments that are not entirely convenient.
Mercedes To Stop Developing Plug-In Hybrid Tech, Go All In On EVs
Mercedes will stop investing in new or next-gen plug-in technology, preferring instead to focus on simpler, more cost-effective EVs.
Speaking to Germany’s Handelsblatt at IAA Munich, Markus Schäfer, Mercedes’ head of development, said that the plug-in hybrid’s days at Mercedes are numbered. He argued that the complexity of having two drive units in one vehicle is an inherent flaw.
“In the end, however, it is also a cost burden for the vehicle,” said Schäfer. That doesn’t mean, however, that we’ll never see another new Mercedes PHEV.
Read Also: The New Mercedes-AMG GT 63 E Performance Is The Brand’s Most Powerful Production Car Ever
“The investments have been made, so we are using them,” Schäfer said. Indeed the much anticipated AMG Project One and the recently unveiled GT 63 E Performance would suggest that there’s some life left in plug-in hybrids.
The latter pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with an electric motor at the rear axle. They combine to make 831 hp and 1,023 lb-ft (1,400 Nm) of torque, which is enough to get the sports sedan to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.9 seconds and all the way up to a top speed of 196 mph (316 km/h) while returning 27 mpg (8.7 lt/100 km).
However, as it funnels money into its battery technology and as a green rush and upcoming legislation spurs automakers to invest heavily in pure-electric drivetrains, the fact that Mercedes is ending its development of plug-in hybrids, which were mostly seen as a transitionary technology anyway, makes sense.
