Comments on: Mercedes-Benz planning hybrid E and C-Class models

By: bigp

bigp — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:18:30 +0000

well i guess it works out

By: pavlindrom

pavlindrom — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:21:08 +0000

Well, then I don’t know. I was thinking of Prius actually, but I was at work and couldn’t think that well. My brain stops working when I sit on that chair, and resumes afterwards. I knew that Prius is the way all companies’ hybrid system worked, and as I only research German cars most of the time, I honestly didn’t know how a Honda works. I guess you are right. Do you mind if I call you a technician and use you as my source in the future?

By: Turkle

Turkle — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:01:21 +0000

Oh, a couple other things that you bring up about the Merc that you find superior to the Honda that are not true. 1. That the Honda Electrical unit takes up a lot of space in the engine bay. Incorrect. The Honda electrical motor is similar to a flywheel and sits inside a space between the engine and the transmission, which is built into the flywheel tunnel. You cannot see this motor unless the engine has been pulled from the engine bay and removed from the transmission. 2. You state that the M-B will have start-stop technology… that is great, they are catching up to Honda who has had this on the Insigth and Civic since 2001. Honda’s IMA will also run on electric only mode up to 35mph, not at highway speeds as you suggested.

By: Turkle

Turkle — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:37:49 +0000

pavlindrom, You are so wrong on your viewpoint of how the Honda Hybrid works. It does not shut the ICE off. Not one of the Honda vehicles that has run or is currenly running with a Hybrid shuts the vehicle’s engine off. What Honda Hybrid did you look at? I would love to knoe. We are talking about the Honda manufacturer that makes the Civic Hybrid, the manufacturer that has a big H on the front and back of their vehicles, right?

By: pavlindrom

pavlindrom — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:23:23 +0000

Sorry everyone, I love Mercs, and hate when people don’t see how much they have done actually. I drove at work all kinds of cars that you see everyday on the road (I missed a few chances on Lambo and Astons, but had AMG and BMW’s M vehicles) and by far Merc is superior in the ride. But then I guess that is an opinion.

By: pavlindrom

pavlindrom — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:19:46 +0000

Well, at work I looked under the hood of a Honda hybrid and it had an electric engine as big as the petrol one they put in for charging. Mercedes’ electric won’t even be seen unless you take the transmission out. Mercedes uses the engine full-time and the electric just aids a bit only. I am guessing it’s not doing 25% of the Honda electric engine, and increasing the economy by more than 25 percent (another guess).

The Honda shuts off the gasoline engine on highway, the Mercedes shuts it off only at a red light. That is what I wanted to say. And yes, I read this straight from Daimler website. I just forgot the exact percentages.

By: autonut

autonut — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:55:37 +0000

pavlindrom, you’ve described Honda’s approach to hybrid development. The difference between Honda and Benz is that Honda is helluva more economical.

By: pavlindrom

pavlindrom — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:24:05 +0000

I like their hybrid solution much more than the Honda one. It is a little bit of a thing that helps you get moving from standstill where the most amount of gas is consumed for every inch of road, and it will also help keep the cruise speed at little easier and give some more economy. It’s not a full-time electric engine, it just aids a little at critical points. Now, how is that bad?

If money permitted, I would get a hybrid C in a heartbeat. I’d get a bluetec in half a heartbeat though.

By: golf4me

golf4me — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:14:28 +0000

What little respect I still had for Mercedes is now gone…