Mercedes Reveals The S560e

The replacement for the Mercedes-Benz S550e plug-in hybrid, the S560e, has finally broken cover. Just like its predecessor, this luxury sedan uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 gasoline engine, plus an electric motor.

We know the gasoline engine produces a peak 362 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque, while the electric motor makes 121 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque. Mercedes won’t say what the total system output is, but it must be impressive.

While not as sexy, it is important that the new battery is the same size as the old one, but it has 13.5 kWh of capacity, versus 8.7 kWh from the old one. That means more trunk space, and 31 miles of pure-electric driving. A haptic accelerator pedal helps teach you not to waste electricity.

Because the S-Class always pushes the boundaries of technology, the S560e boasts an impressive array of sensors. They help coach the driver about driving, because it can detect when the car is approaching an intersection, steep grade, or even an increased speed limit. Basically, the car’s smarter than some drivers.

The bad news is you’ll have to wait until the middle of 2019 to get your hands on the S560e in the U.S. Mercedes will release more details about the car’s equipment closer to that launch date.