We have recently learned, from a source close to Mercedes Benz and its Research Center in Stuttgart, that the Daimler AG is working on a vehicle “which will revolutionize the luxury auto market,” as they put it. The “revolutionary” vehicle will be an all electric mid-size to large luxury vehicle, and will feature a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged two ways. The first option will be with a direct plug-in, and the other option will be a small dynamo like device that will charge the battery while the car is driving. In current tests, the battery was able to get 170 km (approx 105 miles) before it had to be charged again, which means that the dynamo itself can only partially recharge the battery.
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It’s still not fully know which vehicle might get this technology, but if we look at some of the most recent developments, we can probably find the one that will most like be released with a electric motor. In a post we wrote in late February, we reported that Mercedes has acquired 25 patents for a lithium-ion technology to be used in the S 400 BlueHYBRID beginning next year. We also reported a couple of time on the GLK and its Hybrid intentions. If we were to throw out a educated guess here, we would probably say that the S-Class and the GLK, maybe even ML, will be the first “luxury’ all electric powered vehicles in the market.
Here is the most important questions for consumers. When will it come out? According to our source, a fully electric powered vehicle from Mercedes will come in the form of a new model/generation vehicle. If our prediction is right, and it is the S-Class, then we can expect the EV sometime in 2011 or possibly even as early as 2010, as that is when a new model is scheduled.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
The dynamo system must charge the battery when the car is being powered other than by the batteries (e.g. small petrol engine), otherwise that would be perpetual motion which scientists haven’t cracked yet as far as I know!
March 19th, 2008 at 7:09 am
I’ve seen the term ‘dynamo’ used recently in reference to electric vehicles. Is some way of describing the electric drive-train as seperate from the gas generator used to charge the batteries, without re-enforcing the contextual frame of a gas sucking combustion engine. Are the PR people afraid to say that you might actually put gas in this car? Why? If , like most drivers, you drive this car less than 60 miles (~95 km) every day then you would never put gas in this car, unless you were on a longer trip. The term ‘Dynamo’ adds a degree of mystery to this new car without paying lip service to any other manufactorer’s branded terms.
March 19th, 2008 at 7:35 am
When designing the transmission Benz should note that part of the appeal of the Prius is its highly reliable power-split device. I will never again buy a car with a clutch-based transmission like the two-clutch monsters GM has proposed for its hybrids.
March 19th, 2008 at 8:05 am
The “dynamo” being refered to is an on board generator sometimes refered to as a “range extender” for an electric vehicle. It technically makes the vehicle a series hybrid (vs. parallel like the Prius and the others currently on the market) because as Denny mentions the generator (range extender) is mechnically connected to the drive system, only electrically connected.
March 20th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
There is nothing mysterious about a ‘Dynamo’; it’s the German term for a combined starter/generator that was used half a century ago by DKW/Audi. Today’s Dynamo would likely be electronically switched for quick-starting and regenerative braking, a starter/alternator of sorts.
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:14 am
Finally, a good looking Electric/Hybrid!
June 16th, 2008 at 5:45 am
When will this car be released?
June 19th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Unfortunately none of this will ever hit the road. They’ve been “developing” this “revolutionary” technology for the past 20 years now and where are we today? Still using gas. Why? They say because it wasn’t cost effective back then. Oh that makes sense, it’s cost effective now, so let’s put it into a Mercedes Benz! The only people who would be able to afford this vehicle are those who could afford to pay $20 a gallon for gas in the first place. So guess what? No one’s gonna buy it and the whole electric car idea gets dismantled…AGAIN. Why? Oh because no one’s buying it because again, it’s not cost effective. How much is a Tesla Roadster? Yeah. Okay.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
how about a 140 mile/charge EV1 in 1999 for about 30k . would have gone up to 200 miles/charge if chevrontexaco didn’t sue PEVE (panasonic/toyota) and allowed them to make their batteries. this is all SO backwards. more empty promises while cobasys sits on a proven patent (the EV-95 NiMH batteries) that’s still powering RAV4 EV’s today w/ 80 miles/charge.
“Mercedes electric A-Class(120 miles/charge, 77 mph) will not now go on sale until the end of 1999″ (BBC Top Gear, 1998):
smarten up people. this has all been done before.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I think Mercvedes is serious this time. Back in 1999 when gas was under 2$/gallon, why would you buy a car that only went 100 miles on a charge? With 4-5$/gallon gas, the climate has changed.
July 12th, 2008 at 11:08 am
A dynamo is a generator. In some hybrids they use the braking system. the friction of the pads against the rotor acts like brushes against an armature.
July 12th, 2008 at 11:12 am
As for these types of cars being expensive, like the comact disc player more demand will eventually drop the price. Oil and Natural Gas will run out. The IPhone was $450? when introduced. Now the next generation is $199.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
ENDLESS MILES WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A UNIT THAT WILL CHARGE YOUR CAR BATTERIES ALL THE TIME WITH OUT STOPPING TO PLUG IN . NOT LETTING BATTERIES DROP BELOW 75% OF CHARGER THIS CAN HAPPEN IF YOU ARE INTERRESTED OR ARE YOU ALL B. S. ENDLESS P.S. NOT ONE OIL PRODUCT USED