Mercedes-Benz was reportedly exhausting at work on a vary prolonged model of the EQS sedan outfitted with a small petrol engine along with a battery pack and an electrical motor driving the rear wheels.
Based on Autocar Mercedes-Benz was testing out a collection plug-in hybrid, or vary extender electrical car, drivetrain.
A supply advised the British publication work on this mission has now been deserted, with the automaker concluding the vary extender setup was “a transitional know-how with a comparatively short-term profit by way of gross sales and relatively excessive manufacturing prices”.
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Mercedes-Benz EQS
Mercedes-Benz reportedly started contemplating vary extender know-how as plug-in hybrid automobiles is standard in elements of China, significantly second- and third-tier cities the place public electrical car (EV) charging infrastructure continues to be in its infancy.
The EQS, the corporate’s flagship electrical sedan, it’s mentioned, served as the premise for the prototypes for testing out the vary extender drivetrain configuration.
Just like the Chevrolet Volt — offered in Australia because the Holden Volt — in addition to the BMW i3 REV, the range-extended EQS had a small petrol engine beneath the bonnet.
With the automobile’s electrical motor solely chargeable for driving the automobile, the petrol engine will not be linked to the wheels. The petrol engine’s function is to recharge the automobile’s batteries, both on request from the motive force or when they’re nearing empty.
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BMW i3 -
Holden Volt
The journal understands the vary prolonged EQS had a turbocharged 1.0-litre two-cylinder beneath the bonnet. Basically a M254 four-cylinder lopped in half, the two-pot motor was modified to run on the Miller cycle, and had a front-mounted exhaust system, eradicating the necessity to route piping by way of the car’s undercarriage.
These EQS prototypes had a single 200kW electrical motor driving the rear wheels, and a lithium ion battery pack with a capability of round 50kWh, or half that of an everyday all-electric EQS.
Complete vary for the EQS prototypes is claimed to be greater than 784km, the official WLTP ranking for the rear-wheel drive EQS 450+ outfitted with the bigger 107.8kWh battery pack.
Final week Mercedes-Benz unveiled an up to date EQS sedan with improved vary, and a brand new grille which mimics the basic S-Class look.