chuck007

Does anyone own one of these hybrids ('15 thru '18) ? If you do, what do you actually get for the electric only range and if regenerative braking is used (coasting and braking) does this increase the range ? Thanks

syswei

I don't have one, but I think in PHEVs and EVs, regenerative braking is typically going to be on by default and can't be switched off.

Utopia Texas

Even in hilly terrain regenerative braking only replenishes the batteries 5%-6% at best.

Diesel Benz

What do you mean by increasing the range? One of the MB brochures give the impression that the battery gives x miles for range and regenerative braking could increase it further. That is nonsense. The point being you any braking is lost energy, in the case of hybrids it is not all lost but neither 100% recovered.

The wife drives an E-class 213.050. Quoted electric range is some 30 km. Steady and low speed at even roads actually did give 30+ km when batteries were new. Now 2+ years later it isn't much more than 20 km (I have not driven the car myself lately to have a fair comparison). Variable speed, braking, uphill/downhills will reduce the range.

Average fuel consumption by the way 2,5 l / 100 km for the first 27 000 km (cluster reading), 94 miles per US gallon (obviously ignoring electricity consumption).

badq45t

I bought one 3 months ago and while the dealership told me zero about how to use the car I have it finally figured out. So the completely electric range is 17 miles which is a joke. You can tell the car to be a fully electric car, hybrid, charge battery or "save battery" modes. The all electric is great for a quick run down to the local supermarket and back, which will result in a 1.5-2 hour recharge time, so that isn't very useful. I generally drive the car in hybrid mode and if you do this with full battery the car gets exceptional gas mileage. I do not drive super aggressive except for a 2 mile stretch of road where I go from 35-50 to 80 as I get past cars on the hill outside of my town, but once on the highway in full hybrid I get great mileage. I never get less than 40 MPG and have gotten as high as 45-50 on the way to work. I pull in the garage at work with 10--15 battery and then recharge to go home with the full battery. Uusally for the first 17 or so miles I am getting 95 MPG, so that is possible but only for a short distance.

Consider this car a hybrid, using the electric only mode is great when I am full stop and go traffic, but I have to say that having a car with a 15.5 gallon gas tank and getting just around 500 mile range is pretty nice. I was used to an older Infiniti that had 22 gallon tank and was lucky to get 320-340, I seriously have hit 500 with 15% gas left.

The trunk on all S500's are pretty small, this is smaller, but I have learned to use it and I can get a lot more than I though I could in it.

cblueG

I bought a 550e a month ago from LA with 16k miles. Loving it so far.

When I charge the car I get anywhere from 15-21 miles charge. My one way commute to work is 12 miles. I can easily make that commute with electric only mode. I charge it at work and go home the same way. I only use gas during weekends.

Other folks have reported getting 40+ mpg when driving on hybrid mode but for some reason I only get 25-30 (or maybe I am interpreting it wrong since the dealer didn't walk me through the car features as well). When I drive, my constant, accel and coast numbers are always between 97%-100% so I know I am not driving it rashly.

What is the number I should be looking at on the instrument panel when trying to see the mpg I am getting?

chuck007

Hey guys, I started this thread because I stumbled on a 2018 Cadillac CT6 plug in hybrid and drove a short distance around the neighborhoods and started with 24 miles of range. The car states an EPA range of 31 miles. When I got back to the dealership I had 45 miles of range on the dash. Soooo, I got to thinking even though the S550e has an EPA range rating of 20 miles, most people I have read about get 14-18 miles. Is it possible to increase this range with appropriate driving style, and involving coasting and braking ? I also found a used 2016 with 19K and in beautiful condition (perception only) but the CarFax showed a previous accident and "unibody structural damage" so I passed (great price too).

chuck007

Sorry to take you back to the original question but is it possible to get more miles than 20 on the range as stated on the dash if one drives appropriately ( ie. coasting, braking, regenerative braking etc. ) ????

superangrypenguin

I really really feel bad for some of you who are running your cars on full electric.

Lithium Ion batteries do NOT like to get charged to 100% and it seems like you guys are doing just that. Rough estimates are such that if a lithium ion battery is charged to 80% (SOC), you get double the life of the battery. It's why P0 MHEV vehicles like the A8 have their lithium ion batteries charged to 50-60% max as that means it'll last for the life of the vehicle.

Long story short by driving your car on electric only mode and if you're maxing out the 18 miles or whatnot, you are seriously killing the life of your battery.

That's the problem with all of this. For the last year I've been learning about the different types of lithium ion battery chemistry LI, NMC, etc, and the pros/cons and also the storage temperatures these batteries like to be in.

You guys are paying a lot of money for a S550e and if you use it as the marketing materials suggest (e.g. electric only mode to/from work) please just know you're really harming these batteries. Unsure if MB warrants them to 8 years and 130,000 miles or whatnot as it's not my specialty but just thought I'd call it out.

If you really want to maximize your long term fuel mileage with these cars, stick to hybrid mode.

For those that don't believe me, here's a quick link to familiarize yourself with all of this: https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/...ased_batteries

This is the chart that is most relevant:



For those of you charging your batteries full for your work commute, you're following the black line here. So if possible, try charging to a max of 75% if that range is acceptable to get to/from work or stick to gas/hybrid mode!

DABRONX

I always ask WHY? because I just don't get what anyone gets out of these cars? In San Diego Teslas are like belly buttons, everyone has one. I just don't get what anyone is getting from the inconvenience? When you add up the mfg and how electricity is made what is the real environmental impact?

Tesla has sold everyone on these cars and even up charges for fake leather as guess what it's vegan. Mfg's are all jumping on this a think how much money they save with so many less components.


I want to get in my car and drive without planning especially if I am spending $100k


We have had Chevy Volts since they came out and they are the best hybrid out there. Forget to plug it in just get in and drive. It is great to avoid gas stations but I have zero thoughts that I am saving any planet. But there is no way I am paying a $100k plus for one.

LegRoom

Just purchased a CPO, and I have been experimenting the entire week commuting to work. The max I have gotten is 15 miles on electric only mode, and that is with minor acceleration and mostly coasting. With minor stop and go traffic, in the carpool lane, I am getting 14 miles. Foot was never heavy on the gas pedal at all.

I am unsure how some of you are getting 15 miles plus...maybe some downhill? My commute is around 18 miles, so I do have to use HYBRID mode the last 3-4 miles.

Diesel Benz

How do you know we are charging the batteries to 100%? The 100% indicator at the cluster does not have to mean the batteries are charged to real 100% but to something that Daimler feels is safe AND gives a proper lifetime.

If Daimler did not count in enough safety margin, who cares, even in Europe the electric drive line has 6 year warranty. Who plans to drive the car longer?

superangrypenguin

Whoa there, no need to get a bit defensive! Knowledge is power - what you do with it is up to you!

Daimler has never made any public statements that are along the lines of what Tesla has made. E.g. Tesla full well admits that they do not make 100% of the battery available for charging when the car is new. As the battery ages/car ages, the full charge 'top' range increases giving the illusion that the car has not lost range over time.

Mercedes, or any other carmaker for that matter, has not publicly stated this.

Audi, in their recent cars, does make it apparent to customers that 100% is 100%, and recommends the car only be charged to 80% and thus they allow customers to set which charge point they want the car to charge to. E.g. 80% for regular charges, and 100% for the trips that require maximum range.

As far as longevity goes, not all of us drive cars for 6 years max.

Again - I'm not here to aggravate anyone - just to make people aware of the consequences of fully charging, then discharging a battery. If you want to do just that, be my guest. Don't let anyone on the internet stop you from doing whatever you want to do!

chuck007

Thank you Legroom, someone finally answered my question. And Superangry, you are probably right. However, my wifes B250e gets 100% charge every time and still gets the same range, but I am not worried since we will probably never keep the car long enough to fully answer the longevity question. Again, that Cadillac CT6 plug in baffles me....how the 31 mile range can be increased by how much ??

haYnBenz

Hey chuck007, I have had a PHEV (Ford Fusion Energi) and a BEV (Tesla Model 3) and can state categorically that the regen on my Fusion did very little to increase my battery-only range. The best thing to do in any EV to bump up range, is to turn off the climate control (adds about 10% in range). But aside from that, the only way to add serious range is to have a commute that is all downhill.

I'm looking at buying a S550e, but they are hard to find with my desired optional equipment. As a side note, I considered the CT6 PHEV up until I found out it was made in China. That'd be a hard pass for me.

chuck007

Hi....actually the CT6 had a very bad or obvious mfg fault that everyone knew about...the transmission when moving from electric to gas had a huge "hiccup" and really startles the driver each time you step on the accelerator hard to accelerate or pass someone. I think that this alone probably killed the CT6. I have been watching for a 2018 S560e plug-in since that year had major improvements and an increase in electric range. There are none out there (used). Let me know if you run into any possibilities. Thanks

haYnBenz

Good to know re: CT6. Unfortunately, I don't think we're getting the S560e in the US, though I'd love to be wrong. Looking closely at a gently used 2018 S450 now.

MBNUT1

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-hybrid-drive/

haYnBenz

I saw that article and many others, all stating that the S560e would be coming in 2019, but it didn't. The MBUSA site shows the model, but when a user tries to build/order one it states "Build coming soon". The only new or used S560e in the US that I could find is a new S560e in Coral Gables, FL priced at $119,700 and it is a stripper with virtually no options. No ventilated seats, 360 camera, Distronic, absolutely bare bones. It does have the exclusive wood trim and power rear seat options oddly enough.

I dunno, maybe this was the first one in the country?

MBNUT1

Thanks for the informed response