The EV slowdown with European car manufacturers means the PHEV is coming back strong
We are starting to see news on the ‘pull-back’ of full battery powered cars from many European car manufacturers and even a couple of Chinese EV manufacturers are releasing PHEV and hybrid vehicles in 2024. Why?
Some European carmakers are once again pivoting towards selling more plug-in hybrids. In Europe, Jaguar Land Rover is boosting PHEV output.
Worries about the high price of range anxiety-inducing electric cars, their fast depreciation and eye-watering insurance costs would seem to point the way for plug-in hybrids to seduce prospective car buyers.
After all, if you are a typical motorist driving less than 30 miles a day, a plug-in hybrid (or this range-extender) can mean all your daily usage will be electric only, and on the rare occasion you drive long distances, the combustion engine can kick in and give you up to 400 miles of range at highway speeds, effectively more than twice as much as the best electric cars.
Some PHEVs can give up to 130 kilometers of electric-only driving. Thanks to a new 25.4kWh high-voltage lithium ion battery, the latest Mercedes-Benz C350e has a WLTP cycle range of 117km and is priced at just RM338,888 (please note that there is a high import tax on this car and only full electric cars have zero import duties in Malaysia).
In case you were wondering, under the hood of the C350e is a 2.0L turbocharged petrol engine rated for 204PS at 6,100rpm and 320Nm of torque between 2,000rpm and 4,000rpm.
This frugal 4-cylinder engine is mated to an electric motor with an output of 95kW and 440Nm of torque. This brings total system output to 313hp and 550Nm of torque at its peak. This gives it a top speed of 245km/h and a 0-100km/h time of just 6.1 seconds.
The battery pack consists of 96 cells in a pouch configuration and it’s positioned under the boot floor.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz explains the benefits of the PHEV. It is a combination of ‘intelligent efficiency and low consumption’.
Plug-in hybrids offer the advantages of two worlds: with an electric range of around 100 km, you can easily drive electrically in the city and out of town. On long journeys, you benefit from the range of the combustion engine. Overall, when driving, they are more efficient because they can recuperate energy when braking.
So, all that is left is to visit a Mercedes-Benz showroom and take a test drive to get a better understanding of power delivery with superb fuel efficiency.
