2010 Mercedes-Benz S Class - Review

By Eric Loveday

Eric Loveday

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Eric Loveday is a car enthusiast with a love for everything automotive. He purchased a 1970 Chevelle at age 16, quickly outgrew its dated engineering... More

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S400 Lithium Ion Battery

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S400 Powertrain

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The 2010 Mercedes Benz S-Class just got a little greener with the addition of a hybrid model to its lineup.  The vehicle, the S400 Hybrid claims that it's the lowest CO2 emissions vehicle available in the luxury segment and will be the first mass produced vehicle to employ a lithium ion battery.

The hybrid model will receive the same updates that all S-Class vehicles receive for 2010.  Basically, a minor freshening and not an entire makeover. 

What differentiates the S-Class Hybrid from other S models is the addition of a lithium ion battery in the engine bay.  The battery is a 32 cell, 120 volt, .9 amp hour unit that is not much larger than a standard lead acid battery.  It incorporates a unique cooling system that routes the vehicle AC system refrigerant through the battery pack to keeps it cool.  According to Mercedes, the lithium ion battery will last as long as the vehicle does.

The battery pack uses cells built in France by JCI-Saft, and outputs 0.7 kilowatt-hours of energy. Mercedes was able to fit the pack into the same space that previously housed the car's standard lead-acid 12-Volt starter battery requiring no changes to the body structure or firewall.

The battery system is designed to provide up to 5 seconds of full power to the vehicle.  It is mater to a 20 hp electric motor that's positioned between the engine and the cars seven speed automatic transmission.  The vehicle is a mild hybrid determined by its inability to move under electric power alone.