The German magazine auto motor und sport led for the first time the prototype of the Mercedes GLA 250 e Plug-In Hybrid that will be launched this fall. Here are the first impressions.
Mercedes GLA 250 e is in the last phase of adjustments and Jochen Eck, head of overall vehicle testing of the compact series is already quite satisfied with the state of development. However, he believes that the refinement of the propulsion and braking system can be further improved.
Mercedes promises a range of 53 km electrically with a fully charged battery. Mercedes GLA 250 e operates electrically if you switch EV mode and do not press the kickdown. In electric mode, the degree of energy recovery can be selected from the paddles on the steering wheel which in this case are not used to change gears: in D – – the deceleration is maximum when the foot is lifted from the acceleration and in D + the car it runs without braking at all like a conventional car.
On the other hand, in Sport mode, the heat engine works permanently but also in this mode the start & stop system works. But when the engine starts again he feels a slight jerk. The start should be smoother. Instead, 8-speed automatic gearboxes and dual clutches work harmoniously.
Instead, it bothers the noise of the 1.33-liter turbo engine in Comfort mode when both engines are running. Refinement is not the strong point of the original Renault engine.
The 16.5 kWh battery is located in the floor under the rear seat which reduced the volume of the tank to 35 liters. The battery can be charged in 105 minutes from a 7.4 kW AC station.
The thermal engine develops 160 HP and the electric 102 HP, the total power being 218 HP and the maximum torque reaches 450 Nm.
You can find the full article here.
