Mercedes-Benz unveils South African-made C-Class plug-in hybrid

Following the premiere of its hybrid technology in the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has expanded the technology to the C-Class, in the form of the C 350 e sedan.

One of the plants producing the newly launched C-Class sedan is Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s (MBSA’s) facility in East London.

The sedan offers a range of 31 km in purely electric mode. Its four-cylinder petrol engine, in conjunction with an electric motor, gives it a total system power output of 205 kW and torque of 600 Nm.

Fuel consumption is certified as 2.1 l/100 km. This corresponds to carbon dioxide emissions of 65 g/km.

The local manufacture of a C-Class with the latest plug-in-hybrid technology for local and export markets is a first for MBSA, says the company.

“The successful manufacture of the C 350 e sedan at our award-winning Mercedes-Benz East London plant to exacting world-class standards, is another milestone in our illustrious 68-year history of engineering excellence,” says MBSA CEO and manufacturing executive director Arno van der Merwe.

MBSA logistics division project management specialist Liebrecht Otto says all employees and contractors involved with the manufacture of the hybrid units were specially trained to work with high-voltage components.

“Instructors from TÜV SÜD, an international service corporation focusing on consulting, testing, certification and training, were brought in to the plant to ensure that we met the highest international safety standards.

“From a facility perspective, to accommodate some of the additional work content, we installed a new lifter and high station in the assembly area. Additionally, we installed a manipulator on the trim line to aid the operator in securing the new battery into the vehicle,” notes Otto.

The C 350 e’s 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.

The battery is water-cooled, weighs around 100 kg and is mounted in a sheet-steel housing underneath the rear axle, in order to maximise crash safety, driving dynamics and boot space.

Thanks to an intelligent on-board charging system, the battery can be recharged in around 1 hour 45 minutes at a wall-box (230 V, 16 A, 3.7 kW single-phase).

Alternatively, charging via a standard domestic socket is also possible. Depending on the connection, a charge time of around two hours is possible (with 230 V and 13 A, 3 kW).  

In the new Mercedes-Benz C 350 e, the hybrid-drive concept is combined with a four-cylinder petrol engine, with a displacement of just under two litres.