Mercedes-Benz E 350 e plug-in hybrid has finally,
officially been launched in Malaysia. The petrol-electric executive sedan
arrives in locally-assembled (CKD) form and is available in Exclusive and AMG
Line variants, as well as a limited Edition 60 model.
Let’s be honest, you’re here for the prices, so
we’ll reveal those to you first. The Exclusive kicks off the range with a
starting price of RM 392,888, while the AMG Line costs just RM 3,000 more, at
RM 395,888. The Edition 60, limited to 60 units, goes for
RM 408,888. All prices are on-the-road without insurance, inclusive of a
four-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
Under the bonnet sits an M274 2.0 litre turbo
four-cylinder engine producing 208 hp and 350 Nm of torque, paired to an
electric motor sandwiched between it and the nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic
transmission. The motor has been boosted by seven horsepower and a whole 100 Nm
over the C 350 e‘s to 87 hp and 440 Nm, so total system output has gone up by
six horses to 281 hp, although torque is down 50 Nm to 550 Nm.
Those figures enable the E 350 e to sprint from zero
to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds (identical to the E 300), while all-electric range
is rated at 33 km; the car has a top speed of 130 km/h in EV mode. A 6.2 kWh
lithium-ion battery sits at the rear, resulting in a stepped boot floor and
reduced cargo space, from 540 litres to 400. Charging time is around three
hours with a standard domestic socket, or an hour and a half using a wallbox.
There are three power modes available, independent
of the Dynamic Select drive modes – Hybrid, fully-electric E-Mode E-Save and
Charge. As standard, the E 350 e comes with Air Body Control suspension to keep
the extra weight of the battery in check, and local models also get a larger 60
litre fuel tank, although that’s still smaller than the 66 litre unit found on
the petrol models.
Appearance-wise, you’ll be hard-pressed to discern
the E 350 e from other E-Class models, apart from the blue front brake
callipers, the Plug-in Hybrid badges on the front fenders and the charging port
at the rear of the car, under the right tail light. Inside, there are unique
displays to show the car’s battery level and energy usage, plus a button to
select the powertrain mode.
Kit count is identical on all models and includes
Multibeam LED headlights with Adaptive Highbeam Plus, Keyless-Go entry and
start, Thermotronic three-zone climate control, Nappa leather upholstery,
power-adjustable front seats with memory and four-way lumbar support, Active
Parking Assist, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic sunroof, 64-colour ambient
lighting and a powered bootlid with handsfree opening.
Also fitted are double front sun visors, sunblinds
for the rear side windows (manual) and windscreen (powered), the top COMAND
Online infotainment system, a Widescreen Cockpit with twin 12.3-inch displays,
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Qi wireless charging and a
13-speaker Burmester sound system. Unlike the E 300 AMG Line sold here in
fully-imported (CBU) form, there’s no head-up display.
The only differences between the three variants are
aesthetic, with the Exclusive model coming with 19-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels
and open-pore light brown ash wood trim. The AMG Line adds more aggressive
front and rear bumpers, deeper side skirts, 19-inch five-split-spoke alloys, a
flat-bottomed steering wheel and metal-weave interior trim with a piano black
centre console.
Meanwhile, the Edition 60 is similar to the
Exclusive but adds 19-inch six-spoke alloys, macchiato beige and saddle brown
designo Nappa leather upholstery, a Nappa leather-wrapped dashboard (Artico
faux leather on other models) and designo lined piano black interior trim.
There’s also Edition 60 badging on the front fenders and centre console, plus a
gloss white key and an exclusive appreciation plaque from Royal Selangor.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has also announced
Agility Financing prices for the E 350 e, which stand at RM 3,928 per month for
the Exclusive variant, RM 3,958 per month for the AMG Line and RM 4,088 per month
for the Edition 60 on a three-year tenure.