Mercedez Benz News Rumorpile: Mercedes To “Add Lightness” To A Special E-Class

[William Maley]

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

January 4, 2012

One problem with modern vehicles is how heavy they have become. And in this era of tougher CAFE standards, automakers are looking at how to drop the weight down. Mercedes-Benz is going the extreme route if a report from Car Magazine pans out.

Car reports that Mercedes-Benz is working on a special edition E-Class due out sometime in late 2015. The special E-Class is Mercedes’ answer to the Audi E-Tron and BMW i Series.

The E-Class superlight as it’s being called will utilize a very stiff and light carbon fiber structure and come in a four-door notchback. The powertrain for this vehicle could be a 150 HP hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain in conjunction with a 50 HP electric motor. Gas/diesel engines and possibly a plug-in Hybrid version are expected to follow allow.

Source: Car Magazine

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[smk4565]

I read earlier that they could get the E-class under 2800 lbs, but putting a wimpy hybrid powertrain in it is dumb. Use the 302 hp V6 instead.

[Robert Hall]

Strange...I prefer M-Bs that are over 4000lbs...a 2800lb E-class sounds very strange to me...

[CanadianBacon94]

I doubt they could get a *production* E class under 3000 pounds, but good for them if they can

[William Maley]

No, this a special version of the E-Class. The regular one will likely stay above 3,000 lbs for now

[Drew Dowdell]

The powertrain for this vehicle could be a 150 HP hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain in conjunction with a 50 HP electric motor

uhm.... what?

Hydrogen fuel cell is just an electricity generator.... meaning it needs to be connected to an electric motor... which I would assume would be more than 50 hp. Something lost in the German -> English translation I presume?

[William Maley]

Maybe... But this is the quote from the Car article

The sole initially intended source of propulsion is a 150bhp fuel-cell which drives the rear wheels in sync with a 50bhp electric motor.

[67impss]

Well an ICE can run on hydrogen so that is a possibility then.

[Drew Dowdell]

yes, but an Hydrogen ICE is not a Hydrogen fuel cell. two entirely different beasts.

[67impss]

I've got that I was thinking that it would be a Hybrid ICE with fuelcell/electric motor

[smk4565]

What about this chassis with a twin-turbo V8?