Bubba1

As time ticks on, one car which I’ve added on the list as a potential replacement to my S580 is the S580e. Would love to hear others opinions on the hybrid.

Yes,I’m seriously considering getting away from ICE cars and this would seem to be a good transition. I’ve looked at Taycan (uncomfortable especially ingress/egress), Tesla terrible build quality, Range Rover hybrid(will buy for wife), Bentley flying Spur hybrid (expensive and so so reviews), Porsche Cayenne Hybrid (not as comfortable as S class and so so reviews), haven’t really checked out Audi products, don’t like the look of the new 7.

I’m not worried about range anxiety as the car will mainly be used for city driving.

MBNUT1

You didn't mention the Panamera hybrid or the EQS.

Bubba1

Don’t like the look of either one ☹️

Frenetic

I don’t think there’s really anything comparable to it if you discount Porsche. I would never consider the BMW 7. The only other hybrid I would consider is the X5, but it’s a completely different class, and the rear seat legroom stinks. But, it’s actually pretty darn good for a hybrid.

I would get the Mercedes.

crabman

Outside of the trunk being ridiculously small for such a big car I don't think there is much to notice: Kinda like having 6 instead of a half dozen.

js_cls

The S580e is definitely an interesting proposition. Seems to be good on power and EV milage. I would just make sure to test the EV only mode to make sure its not too slow. The I6 is a fantastic motor, had it in my CLS and GLE.

No other PHEV’s I can think of looking at in my opinion. BMW just announced the 750e but its only good if you can get past the looks. I’ve seen two in Prague recently (one two-tone, the other Tanzanite with shadowline trim) and they are both just awful to look at, which is a shame because the interior is great.

W205C43PFL

I guess neither the EQS SUV?

E55Greasemonkey

Provided you're only keeping it as long as the factory warranty lasts, I would go for it. It's definitely not something I'd keep for 10 years! They've basically doubled the battery size compared to their previous hybrids, which were quite pointless to own. This one can go up to 70 miles full electric mode where the previous generations were half of that, or less. They were basically a gimmick. So conceivably since you are a local commuter you can drive on the battery alone almost every day while charging overnight, and of course you won't have to worry about range anxiety, you've got a spare engine if needed.

crabman

The guys over on the Panny forums found the (at best) 30 or so miles they got to be useful. Most people don't drive too far for groceries and so on and can make those runs on batt. Some can do their commutes. Don't get me wrong, more is better, but I wouldn't say 30 is useless.

joeshannon095

I’ve driven one a few times. The EV mode seems powerful enough IMO. This is what the EQS should’ve been. Driving an EV S-Class is such a pleasure. Trunk space is compromised though, even more so compared to the prior gen S560e.

Joseph_Elery

I test drove it twice and didn't like it. It's quiet on battery but when you accelerate, the inline 6 seems too loud. Not to mention the trunk space is smaller due to the batteries.

W205C43PFL

At least the inline 6 is smooth right?

AMG350

I have driven the car 1,000 miles and my opinion is still the same. Excellent daily driver, have only used 1/2 tank of gas, the rest charging. The 350volt charging stations are fantastic and charge in minutes, but at home from zero with a level 2 charger it takes 2.5 hrs and is the best way. Realistically you get 50 miles maximum on electric.

Below is my original review. Let me know if you have more questions. The car is all about torque and relaxation. It is NOT a performance vehicle though it turns tight. It is a very heavy vehicle and that’s what I notice most about it during drives. The car expresses the statement: get the F out of my way very enthusiastically.

*******

review excerpt

“Now more specific to the S580e drive, it is whisper quiet until the engine kicks in. It whirrs into existence just like 48Volt cars, but it is far more noticeable. It’s not loud at all but there is a transition point you can feel. Knowing that the car is brand new and still learning my accelerator and braking patterns I’m expecting that be less noticeable and also myself getting used to it. Also I’m still trying to figure out what modes work best for me. Currently I’m keeping it in comfort mode and using the left paddle to drop the mode to D minus, which allows me to predominantly drive it like an EV (one pedal). However yesterday I encountered some road debris and wreckless trucks so I put the car in Sports mode (there is no sports +) and let’s just say I hit triple digits faster than I was expecting, blasting past that mess in a clean lane. The torque was awesome.

Now the brake. That’s borderline scary until you figure it out (and the car figures you out). It is set up for long pedal travel and there is inconsistency to it. The physical brakes are massive. They look like AMG brakes. The stopping power I’m certain is amazing but I’m still in the break in period. But fair warning, I was NOT expecting the braking input the way it is. Full disclosure, I’m used to high performance cars so this is different. As it stands right now, I feel safe, and each time I drive the car it starts to feel more natural. Still, beware the first time you drive this car!

Same goes with the transmission. Initial times I drove the car, I could feel a major downshift transition point while the car was doing Regen, Downshift and Braking all in the same period of time (split second). That has seemingly disappeared as the car has learned my inputs. I’m expecting this item to pop up again as I push the car a little more and the car relearns.

Now more “quirks and features” (Doug Demuro), when you open the gas full cap, there is a period of 2-3 seconds that have to elapse as the fuel tank depressurization occurs since the battery pack and fuel tank are close by. They are reinforced very well but this regulatory requirement is there. I got the onboard DC charging option so my EV flap is larger than the gas flap on the other side of the car. I’m using a home Tesla charger with a Tesla Tap Mini adapter and everything works great. At 80% charge I can get 50 miles with normal driving. It takes about 2 hrs in standard charge mode to go from 0 to 80%. I haven’t yet enabled the fast charge setting. On a DC fast charger supposedly that will be 7 minutes. However, the strange thing is, even when I get to zero percent battery, the car still is using its EV capability rather than relying totally on the engine. This leads me to believe that the power management in the car has plenty more reserve. As I’m still figure out the modes, the car starts in EL mode so I shift it over to Hybrid to reduce pure electric power consumption to make it last longer. This is helpful because when you’re idling with a normal car, you can enjoy this car sitting in traffic or waiting to pick up your kid from school without the engine running. Just makes for a pleasant experience. So does the 4D sound (hint: get it!!!)

This car is for someone who is interested in a daily driver, loves to relax from stressful work, and not looking to make this a performance car. It has plenty of power on reserve if you need it. It is NOT a good car for a limo driver because the trunk is severely reduced in size because of the battery. Overall I am extremely happy with this car and I have driven many different brands/types. It makes me genuinely happy, and my dealer was phenomenal start to finish.”

********

W205C43PFL

Thanks for sharing your review on the car, you touched a couple of points that helps potential buyers looking to buy this car, good car for those who want to try electric, wants an S-Class but worry about range anxiety and have the ICE as a backup. Good for those who commute a short distance and can charge at home or at work and don't have to use the ICE as a result most of the time.

AMG350

You are spot on. This is a “niche buyer” car. If it suits your requirements like mine, there is no better car. It is for sure a happy medium between the ICE and EQS.

If you go in with different expectations you’re very likely to get upset with the purchase. Also if you use the engine in hybrid mode it seems tougher, if you use it “solo” it’s a very smooth inline 6.

I use it for work commute at different locations around town anywhere from 15 mins to 1 hour each way.

One strange thing I forgot to mention (which I like now), is the car on Hybrid Auto Mode (regen auto mode as well) uses traffic cues and terrain to select auto braking/coasting. I don’t know if the car got used to me, or the other way around but I like it. IF you want 100% control you CAN change it. I can see this feature being annoying to most people. Again, niche car for a niche buyer.

W205C43PFL

Hmmm I guess the electric motors and the ICE isn't talking to each other that well hope they refine it with software updates, it sounds like they are "competing" to take over control and who gets used?

AMG350

Not really, maybe I portrayed it incorrectly. The car is actually the best hybrid I have experienced coupling/decoupling is very slick. When you hit max power on the battery and the engine switches on it immediately bumps to 3k RPM and associated gear so you don’t get a jolt…kind of like an electric-I6 “rev match” since I don’t have a term for what is going on. That’s why the speedometer looks the way it does since the needle for engine rpm is animated to get pushed on. Dieselbenz can offer you his experience. The braking is very much terrain/traffic based as it predicts what you are trying to accomplish in D-Auto mode. You can take over by disabling the auto mode. I agree the software will evolve and it’ll get even better. I think this iteration is probably an 8.5 out of 10 for execution of the power train. I’m betting the new S63e will be even better. The biggest compromise is how much of the trunk the battery consumes. Solid State should remedy that. Again, I love the car for its transition as a proper S class into the electric world. This is coming from a guy who had a Tesla Plaid for a year (that started smelling like burnt wires in the cabin) and creaking randomly. No range anxiety anymore either. The acceleration on that car was unreal but the lack of braking was scary. That car needed CCBs standard. Glad I got to experience the Plaid, but happier with the S580e which for me is a keeper until the next gen S class comes out (and then we will see how that is).

cd8705

For the past year, I had been thinking about buying my first S class. I test drove the S580 back in October. Regarding ride quality and nose, I would say the car bordered on meeting my expectations but didn't blow me away. I decided to hold off, at least for the time being. I test drove the S580e on Thursday and had a deposit down on a custom build within an hour after the test drive was over. I was a bit concerned going into the drive that the car in electric only mode would be sluggish. That concern was quickly negated; the car had no problem pulling.

The S class was made for electric driving.I was surprised by how much smoother and quieter the S580e rode relative to the S580. And, yes, my test drives were on the exact same roads in similar driving conditions. My only gripe is that the car isn't fully electric, but, given my driving tendencies, I suspect that I'll rarely use the gas motor. Notably, my tester had the AMG package with 20 inch wheels. It's hard to imagine the car driving any smoother or the cabin being any quieter, but I nevertheless ordered my car with 19 inch rims and plan on pairing them with non-run flats.

If you haven't already, I strongly encourage you to test drive the S580e.

W205C43PFL

I see, thanks for your follow up explanation, now I understand.

I am (was) worried about the S 63 E Performance mainly because of how negative the reviews were for the AMG GT 63 S E Performance and it's transition from ICE to electric was not smooth and ruined the driving experience (the words of the reviewers, and most of them had the same complaint).

Glad to hear they fixed it on their flagship, that said though, the E Performance is a whole different system altogether so it is more of a challenge for them to optimize and perfect that drivetrain. At the end of the day, glad to hear it is smooth on your S-Class and that it is treating you well.

W205C43PFL

Your experience almost makes the pure electric EQS seem redundant... almost. People are criticizing about the EQS sedan and the EV dedicated platform and said if only they followed BMW's 7 series and i7, used the same platform for both pure ICE and fully electric.

Congrats on your order and hope it gets to you soon.

cd8705

Exactly. I never considered the EQS due to its exterior styling alone. I drive over 50 miles in a day a few times a year-tops. So this'l do just fine.
And thanks! My dealer is confident that'l come in by end of October, but, as we've seen on this forum countless times, I'm taking it with a grain of salt.

W205C43PFL

Since S-Class is a flagship, priority is higher than other models so let's just say it isn't impossible for the car to be in your hands by end of October, we could even say it might arrive earlier. If the 2024 GLE was any indication, I think MB has solved logistics and stuff and is on the right track.

W205C43PFL

Here is what I mean: https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...t-already.html

Mercedes has stepped up the game and finally delivering cars rather timely.

AMG350

My car was delayed for almost 5 months for delivery post build (due to EPA approval of the model). Now that’s resolved I’m betting yours will be a lot faster.

On a side note, I would encourage you to consider the active body control if you live an area with many twists and turns. This car is very heavy and would benefit from that option. It does increase complexity in an already complex car, but for this specific car I think you should consider it (and not necessarily for the non hybrid models).

W205C43PFL

I will add to not add E-ABC, just the regular ABC because apparently it is not as good as MB advertises it compared to MBC (Magic Body Control) according to owners like forum member streamliner's experience.