Electric Cars: The Basics
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The Mercedes-Benz A250e Saloon PHEV
Mercedes-Benz, simply known as Mercedes, is a leading global luxury automative manufacturer based in Germany. The company is headquartered in Stuttgart and is famed for its high quality passenger vehicles, to include the Mercedes-Maybach. However, the company is also a leader in manufacturing commercial vehicles, to include the plug-in Mercedes eSprinter commercial EV and the plug-in Mercedes eVito electric van.
Mercedes-Benz EQ is the sub-brand used by the company for its portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids. The pure electric cars are branded as EQ, while the PHEVs are branded as EQ Power. The mild hybrid vehicles are branded as EQ Boost. The PHEV portfolio includes:
- Mercedes A-Class Hatchback PHEV
- Mercedes A-Class Saloon PHEV
- Mercedes B-Class Hatchback PHEV
- Mercedes C-Class Saloon PHEV
- Mercedes C-Class Estate PHEV
- Mercedes E-Class Saloon PHEV
- Mercedes E-Class Estate PHEV
- Mercedes S-Class Saloon PHEV
- Mercedes CLA Coupé PHEV
- Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake PHEV
- Mercedes GLA SUV PHEV
- Mercedes GLC SUV PHEV
- Mercedes GLC Coupé PHEV
- Mercedes GLE SUV PHEV
- Mercedes GLE Coupé PHEV
The Mercedes-Benz A Class premium vehicle is currently in its fourth generation. It was first introduced in 1997. The fourth generation model was launched in 2018 and also included the saloon body style. The A Class also includes the A250e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variant.
The A250e saloon PHEV is a cheaper option, compared to the Mercedes C-Class, E-Class and S-Class plug-in hybrid models. For those seeking luxury, lower motoring costs and lower tailpipe emissions, the A Class saloon PHEV is certainly a good entry-level option to consider. It is a very efficient medium-sized plug-in electric car.
The Mercedes-Benz A250e PHEV has a 15.6 kWh onboard EV battery, which is an average EV battery size for PHEVs. The real-world electric range will be lower than the claimed range (70 km/ WLTP certified), and will depend on a number of factors, to include: driving profile, onboard services used, speed, weather, road conditions and more.
Expect a real-world zero-tailpipe emission electric range closer to 60 km. However, for most urban commutes, this range is more than sufficient and the EV can help save money and improve local air quality. Driving on the pure electric mode will cost between 5 cents to 10 cents per km, significantly lower than driving using the combustion engine. The EV also incorporates regenerative braking, which further improves the efficiency of the vehicle.
Moreover, an EV range between 60 km and 70 km is also very useful for shorter motorway trips. The more the electric car is driven on e-mode, the higher the efficiency of the vehicle i.e. the lower the cost of motoring. Mercedes claims a fuel economy up to 0.8 l/100km for the PHEV.
Achieving anything close to this fuel economy will require using the electric mode on a very regular basis. Of course, if the majority of the driving is done using the combustion engine, the fuel economy will be far lower (6.8 l/100km).
The Mercedes electric saloon has a 7.4 kW onboard charger, capable of single phase AC charging. Though the EV can be charged using a domestic 3-PIN socket, we at e-zoomed encourage using a dedicated home EV charger like myenergi zappi. A 7 kW EV charger will charge the EV from 10% to 100% in 3 hrs and 15 minutes.
Do keep in mind that most homes in Ireland are supplied a single-phase power supply and most EVs are charged overnight. Moreover, from a practical point of view, we recommend a ‘topping-up’ approach to EV charging. This way the EV battery is never fully depleted and charging times are shorter. The PHEV does not have DC charging capability.
The front-wheel drive Mercedes A250e plug-in hybrid combines a 1.3-litre (4-cylinder) petrol engine with a 75 kW electric motor. The performance of the electric car is appropriate for both city and highway driving. Given the electric motor, the EV also benefits from instant torque. The PHEV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. The EV delivers a maximum system power up to 218 HP and 450 Nm torque. The top speed is 230 km/h. In electric mode, the top speed of the EV is 140 km/h.
The electric vehicle is technology-laden and incorporates the standard Mercedes features, to include: Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, 10.25in touchscreen display, keyless-entry, ambient lighting in 64 colours and a lot more. The top variant of the EV also features a panoramic glass sunroof. The EV incorporates numerous safety features. The EV is practical, despite a slightly smaller boot space (345 l), compared to the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) variant.
The Mercedes plug-in electric car is suitable for both private and company-car drivers keen on lower emission electric cars. The tailpipe emissions of the PHEV is as low as 22g CO2/km.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Good fuel efficiency | Cheaper PHEV alternatives |
| Decent EV range (70 km) | DC charging not available |
| Low tailpipe emissions (22g CO2/km) | Boot space limited |
Gallery
The Mercedes-Benz A250e Saloon PHEV (credit: Mercedes)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | Saloon |
| Engine: | Petrol/ Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (1 Option) |
|---|
| Mercedes-Benz A 250 e (from € 66,695) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 15.6 kWh (10.6 kWh Usable Battery) |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.4 kW AC (10% to 100% in 3 hrs and 15 mins) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 22g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 6 years or 100,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state-of-charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1446 |
| Width (mm): | 1992 |
| Length (mm): | 4549 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2729 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11 |
| Boot capacity (L): | 345 |
| Mercedes-Benz A250e | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 15.6 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 70 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 15.7 – 14.8 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km): | 0.8 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.4 kW AC (10% to 100% in 3 hrs and 15 mins) |
| Top Speed: | 230 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 6.7 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 75 kW |
| Max Power (hp): | 218 (system output) |
| Torque (Nm): | 450 (system output) |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 4 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,700 |
| Colours: | 7 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Longest Range Pure Electric Cars: Top 5
The electric driving sector has certainly witnessed significant progress in relation to electric range, for both, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Historically, range anxiety has been an impediment for consumers keen to migrate to electric cars, in particular, pure electric cars.
Though range anxiety has been a valid concern, in our view, it had been over-exaggerated. Do keep in mind that most day-to-day driving involves short journeys i.e. school runs, travel to work, local high street, gym, grocery store etc. How many times in a month do we really travel long distances?
In any case, with the latest-generation of pure electric cars, there is ample e-range for both short and long-distance motorway journeys. In fact, the latest-generation of pure electric cars offer a real-world range over 500 km on a single charge. Some of these EVs can travel from the North to the South of Ireland on a single-charge! The longest range electric car on our list below is the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon with a WLTP claimed range up to 729 km.
Several factors have contributed to the improvement in emission-free electric range. Some of these include: increase in size of the onboard EV battery, improvements in the EV battery management, sleeker aerodynamics, lower vehicle weight and overall improvement in vehicle efficiency. We can expect this trend to continue, as automotive manufacturers labour to further improve the efficiency of electric vehicles and ultimately electric range.
It is also worth noting, that not all automotive manufacturers aspire for the largest onboard EV battery or the longest electric range. Many electric cars, like the all-electric Honda-e have been developed primarily to target the needs of urban drivers, who travel short distances. Of course, even for such electric cars, automotive manufacturers continue to seek improvements in vehicle efficiency and e-range.
| Brand/ Model | Battery Size (kWh) | Electric Range (WLTP) | Body Type | Battery Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz EQS | 108.4 kWh | 729 km | Saloon | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| BMW i7 | 105.7 kWh | 622 km | Saloon | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE | 90.6 kWh | 617 km | Saloon | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Polestar 3 | 111 kWh | 610 km | SUV | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 98 kWh | 600 km | SUV | 8 years or 160,000 km |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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