Mercedes ML 450 Hybrid
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Mercedes-Benz has long been known for its diesels. In fact, it introduced the 260D, the world’s first passenger car powered by a diesel engine, back in 1936. But proud of its reputation for advanced technology in general, it has been hedging its bets with hybrids as well.
Gasoline, Or Diesel, Or Hybrid?
At the New York Auto Show in April 2009, it unveiled its latest hybrid project, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid. It’s the latest expansion in its ML sport utility line, and it makes the ML the first vehicle in the world to offer gasoline, diesel, and hybrid alternatives.
The three drivetrains return a range of mileage figures. The all-wheel-drive ML350 with a standard gasoline engines gets 15 mpg city / 20 mpg highway, with larger V8 versions doing far worse. As for the green alternatives, the clean diesel ML320 BlueTec delivers 18 mpg city / 24 mpg highway, and now the ML450 Hybrid model tops the list, with 21 mpg city / 24 mpg highway.
The new ML model, built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is fitted with the Two-Mode Hybrid system jointly developed by General Motors, Daimler, Chrysler, and BMW.
Bigger, Better Battery—And Cooler Too
The Mercedes-Benz version of the Two-Mode system combines a 275-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and two electric motors. Together, the complete powertrain delivers 335 horsepower and 381 foot-pounds of torque. But Mercedes-Benz has fitted its own, larger nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, which at 2.4 kilowatt-hours is almost half again as large as the packs used in GM’s various Two-Mode hybrids. And Benz uses liquid cooling to keep its pack healthy and the cells operating at best efficiency, complete with a “super chiller” to blast the pack with coolant when the electrical system is under stress—towing a trailer uphill in desert heat, for example.
Photo: John Voelcker/HybridCars.com. All rights reserved.
None of those components comes cheap, though Mercedes-Benz may have more leeway to charge higher prices than more mass-market big SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon twins. But Benz hasn’t released pricing, and most likely won’t do so until the ML450 Hybrid goes on sale this fall.
Like other hybrids, the Two-Mode can move the car at low speeds purely on electric power for short distances. But unlike “single-mode” full hybrids, including the archetypal Toyota Prius, the pair of electrical motors and several gear-sets also provide electrical assist to the gasoline engine at highway speeds—hence the name “Two-Mode."
Externally, the only difference between the new Hybrid and other MLs is the grille and a slightly domed hood—to clear the power electronics, mounted up front on top of the engine. In an odd transposition, the company’s AMG tuning unit liked the looks of the humped hood so much that it is using that part on its high-performance versions of the ML as well.
During a test drive in Manhattan traffic and up the West Side Highway along the Hudson River, the ML450 Hybrid clearly distinguished itself from the GM Two-Mode sport utilities—even the posh Escalade version. Drivetrain noise is all but imperceptible, and the sound damping (known as NVH by auto engineers, for Noise-Vibration-Harshness) is exemplary.
In fact, most drivers might only figure out that this ML was a hybrid by the engine tone, which like most hybrids doesn’t rise in parallel with road speed. Instead, this hybrid and others sound like cars with continuously variable transmissions—which their hybrid systems simulate by shifting power among the modes and running the engine at its most efficient speeds, taking up the slack with the electric motors.
Simulating An Eight-Speed Automatic
Nonetheless, Benz is concerned that some ML owners might find it unpleasant to experience that disconnect between engine speed and road speed. So, the company developed a “Shift” mode that controls the engine to simulate the behavior of an eight-speed automatic transmission. According to hybrid control systems engineer Konstantin Neiss, using Shift mode imposes about a 3-percent penalty on fuel economy.
The ML450 Hybrid will be one of a pair of hybrids launched for 2010 by Mercedes-Benz. The other is the S400 BlueHybrid, a mild-hybrid version of the large S-Class four-door sedan. Unlike Japanese makers like Toyota and Honda, Mercedes-Benz is using hybrid technology to improve the mileage of its largest, heaviest vehicles—recognizing that upcoming gas-mileage regulations will hit its lineup disproportionately hard.
With the diesel and hybrid ML variants competing head to head, industry analysts will eagerly be watching to see how much wealthy Mercedes-Benz buyers value various levels of mileage, whether hybrids prove more appealing than oil burners and, most importantly, at what price points. It should be a fascinating model year for Mercedes.
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21 / 24 MPG 11.2 / 9.8 L/100km
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BODY TYPE:
SUV
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TECHNOLOGY:
Hybrid
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BASE MSRP:
n/a
Mercedes ML 450 Hybrid Photos
-If General Motors came up with a revolutionary new "green" car that got 24 mpg EPA max, people would be (rightly) condemning them. Mercedes does it, and our press gives them rave reviews. What a scam.
I cannot believe how spoiled drivers must be for Mercedes to create "fake shifting." This is even dumber than the notion of hybrids having fake engine noise in EV mode...
Why incur a 3% loss of MPG? A dumb car for dumb drivers.
You are so right RKRB. 24MPG is a joke. A standard Lexus 350 get around that. I was really hoping that this vehicle would be in the 32+ range. It's now off my list and I also agree that the media should be slamming them for this completely LAME vehicle!
I agree...what's the point of all of the additional gadgets, weight, cooling systems if it deprives the car of its efficiency? Dumb!
The last time Mercedes was good and reliable was in the 80s and up to the mid 90s. Currently even consumer report is slamming them.
I own a 2007 ML 350 and I get 19 city and 22 hwy. This is my 2nd Benz that gets above posted sticker gas mileage. I average 70 on the highway which may help. I'm hopeful that the hybrid also does better than sticker. All the ford and GM cars I have had do worse than what the sticker promised. I love my Benz and have had no mechanical problems with either of my vehicles from MB. For those that wonder why the lexus gets better numbers check the curb weight. The MB is a much heavier sturdier roomier vehicle.
24 isn't a joke when compared to the regular gasoline versions (20 at best). I find it very interesting that the hybrid and diesel models get the exact same highway mileage numbers.
Doesn't the new Insight also have a simulated shifting mode for its CVT?? It isn't just Mercedes doing this... besides, you don't have to use the mode anyway.
nhohn: Glad your mileage is better than sticker (although 22 highway is not very good). Wonder if these generalizations should then be applied to all ML350's, or if that's just an n=1 sample. Any ideas how MB can sell these and avoid the "gas hog" image that plagues GM? Maybe all that "engineering" justifies the inefficiency??
Do you have quantification for the "sturdier" and "roomier" descriptors? Or is it just bulkier?
This is an inexcusably overweight, dangerous vehicle. If we all felt we "needed" to drive one, we would be spending even more of our capital on gas and oil. Maybe that's the key to stimulating the economy, eh? Like Napoleon said, "I can do anything I want to, and some philosopher will justify it for me."
You did not look at the horse power of this car vs the other hybrids. If you make a go cart like Toyota of course it will get good gas milage. Try to make a 325 HP SUV that gets 24MPG that is safe. That is great engineering.
I can't wait for the 2010 mercedes benz to come out, it's just whan I want.
Not safe??? Dangerous even??? WOW. I would be in ANY Benz versus anything built by Lexus. I see wrecked vehicles all day, every day. Lexus RX's (Toyota Highlander in a dress) crumple like tin cans. The metal on any body panel of an RX is significantly thinner than anything Benz puts out. Not to mention Benz ups the ante with double redundant hood latches with spring tensioners, double firewall cowling with a full peripheral seal for the engine compartment to counter intrusion into the passenger compartment, a hardened steel front subframe, FAR more extensive use of ultra high-strength-low-alloy steel throughout, a thick energy absorbing foam under the feet of every passenger to minimize leg injury, 2 extra airbags, and an electronic stability program (utilizing the vehicles braking system, transmission, and traction control system) that is UNRIVALED by anyone. Even the interior trim on the A, B, and C pillars is designed to absorb and dissapate energy in case of an accident. Mercedes also does their developmental crash testing at a higher KPH/MPH than any other manufacturer (52 mph for rollovers, for example). Do some research before you make claims that you obviously know nothing about.
Honestly all the haters should stick to their honda's or toyota's or ford's...you probably hate this vehicle because you CAN'T afford it. I myself drive a Cayenne but my mom has had her MB ML320 since 2003 and its been great. I think MB is one of the best companies period
I have been working on the ML 450 for 2 years now and driving one for the last year. For testing purposes we often run these things as hard as we can for hours at a time. Full throttle at every stop, 120+ on the highway and I still get ~ 24 mpg every time. After driving a ML 550 for a while I can feel the battery weight in the boot, but it doesn't make the car seem overly heavy. Yes, a Escape hybrid gets much better mpg, but it still drives like a Ford. This is a pure Mercedes.
i drove one these, not that great!
There will only be 1,700 of these cars for the next two years. I drove one it was interesting but to appease the Libs MB invested a lot of money but, like all hybrids, it's a stupid idea. Nobody considers how horribly damaging to the environment the production of these batteries is... nothing grows within miles of the mines and the water is polluted but it's in China so who cares?
Not all hybrids need to be more energy efficient that a Prius. The purpose of efficiency is that we need all cars to improve within their class. Not everyone can, or will, drive a Prius. I congratulate MB for producing a car that improves mileage by 20+ percent while providing a better driving experience over a similar ML. If we continue to improve the existing vehicle stock each year by 10-20% then we can remove oure dependency on foreign sources of oil by 2022... So get rid of you clunker and go buy one!
I think this car is really cool. I really like Mercedes Benz cars and enjoy using mine. Also I am writing an article on this awesome car and this website was really helpful. I think that if every car company thought of this they wouldn't have any crummy economy.
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