Mercedes-Benz may expand its lineup of plug-in hybrids with a small A-Class sedan, called the A250e, according to a report from Britain.
The A-class is the cheapest sedan Mercedes-Benz sells, starting at $33,495 with delivery.
According to a report in British auto magazine Autocar, the A250e is expected to use the came a 1.3-liter gas turbo-3 as in the conventional A200 with 161 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, versus 101 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque in the A200.
To manage the different power sources, the car is expected to get a new 8-speed automatic shared with the upcoming GLB SUV.
A 15-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery mounted under the rear seat is expected to deliver 37 miles of all-electric range on the relatively generous European WLTP driving cycle. If the car comes to the U.S., that could translate into something in the neighborhood of 29 or 30 miles.
The A250e is expected to support DC fast charging but only up to 25 kilowatts, making it fast for a plug-in hybrid but slow for fast-charging an electric car.
The new car is expected to debut at the Frankfurt auto show coming up in September alongside new plug-in hybrid versions of the B-class, CLA, and GLB SUV. Any U.S. market intent could be announced then.
As the company transitions to building more cars that plug in, Mercedes has also said it will debut a new plug-in hybrid GLE350e mid-size SUV late this year in the U.S. that will have a range of up to 50 miles. Its new electric EQC SUV has already gone on sale in Europe and is expected to debut in the U.S. by mid 2020.
