(January 16, 2015) Following its premiere in the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz is now offering its most advanced hybrid technology yet in the C-Class. With a range of 20 miles in purely electric mode, local emission-free driving is now a reality. Its four-cylinder gasoline engine, in conjunction with a powerful electric motor, gives it a total system output of 275 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque.

Mercedes says this allows the new C350 Plug-in Hybrid to deliver the performance of a sports car while still offering exemplary fuel consumption. In addition, the standard AIRMATIC air suspension and convenient Pre-Entry Climate Control system that can be controlled via the internet create a truly exceptional level of driving and climate comfort.



The C350 Plug-in Hybrid will be available in U.S. dealerships in the fall.

Prof Dr Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and responsible for group research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development , said, "The Plug-in Hybrid is an investment in the future of Mercedes-Benz and we believe it will become established as the successful technology for maximum efficiency coupled with powerful dynamic performance. We will be launching 10 new Plug-in Hybrid models up to 2017."

Following the C300 BlueTec Hybrid, the C350 Plug-in Hybrid is the second hybrid model in the new C-Class and the second Mercedes-Benz model to feature Plug-in Hybrid technology. Thanks to the combination of combustion engine and electric drive, hybrid drive systems deliver impressively low fuel consumption with high performance.

The electric motor is able to replace or support the combustion engine in a variety of situations, while making practical use of energy generated while braking by converting it into electric energy and storing it.

The C350 Plug-in Hybrid uses the most advanced form of hybrid technology currently available. Its electrical energy storage unit is a high-voltage lithium- ion battery with a total capacity of 6.2 kWh, which can be charged from an external power source to effectively contribute to the low consumption and emission figures. The battery is water-cooled, weighs around 220 pounds and is mounted in a sheet-steel housing underneath the rear axle in order to maximize crash safety, driving dynamics and trunk space.

Thanks to an intelligent on-board charging system, the battery can be quickly recharged at a wallbox, at one of the growing number of public charging points or even charged via a standard domestic socket.

Despite the space taken up by the battery, the C350 Plug-in Hybrid Sedan still offers a trunk capacity of 11.8 cubic feet.