Mercedes has just lifted the veil on its plug-in hybrid concept based on the V-Class van in Geneva. It promises to be the most powerful V, while at the same time returning efficiency numbers comparable to those of a city car (in the ideal conditions, with a full battery, of course).
Power for this V-Class Concept Vision is drawn from a combination of a 2.0-liter 210 PS turbo petrol engine that’s augmented by an electric motor adding another 120. The grand total power and torque figures are 333 hp and up to 600 Nm of torque all while using a claimed average of 3 l/100km or 79 mpg US / 94 mpg UK and emitting just 71 g/km CO2.
Being a plug-in hybrid, it has decent electric-only range, with claimed autonomy on a full charge of 50 km or 31 miles. That comes courtesy of a decent-sized battery pack that can hold up to 13.5 kWh. Oh, and the V can go up to 80 km/h or 50 mph on battery alone before needing to fire up the engine.
Why has Mercedes chosen to show this vehicle off? Well, it wants to expand the range of personalization options for the V, and this is their way of announcing it. They also want its interior to have a better image, saying in the press blurb that it’s loft-like – this more plush concept is pitched as “a private or business vehicle — and for even more exclusive tastes as well.”
Over the course of 2015, Mercedes will be expanding the V-Class range; Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said “our V-Class is well received by our customers. In 2015 we will continue this course for growth with the introduction of further body lengths and all-wheel drive models as well as new features.“ The total number of variants to be made available by the end of the year will rise to 18.
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