Hybrid: the best of both worlds

The key to greater efficiency and environmental compatibility lies in the electrification of the drivetrain. This offers great potential for improvement, which is being realized for example in auxiliary units, the automatic start / stop system, and hybridization. For this second stage of Daimler’s “road map”, the company has developed a modular hybrid system that offers various possibilities for extension in terms of performance and range of vehicle applications.

Enlarge

Electric motor in a hybrid drive system

All hybrid drive variants can be realized on this basis: from so-called mild hybrids, with electric recuperation and boost function, up to purely electric driving. A further option is the plug-in hybrid, in which the battery can be recharged from a domestic power socket to extend the vehicle’s “electric” operating range. The Mercedes-Benz Vision 500 Plug-in HYBRID provides a glimpse of this full-hybrid technology. With the next-generation S-Class, Mercedes-Benz will incorporate this highly efficient combination of internal combustion engine and electric motor into series manufacture.