A plug-in hybrid version of the Mercedes-Benz
A-Class is just around the corner, documents from the German transport
authority have revealed. Set to be dubbed the Mercedes-Benz A250e, the new vehicle is set to
feature the turbocharged 1.3-liter petrol engine from the A200 pumping out 158
hp and 200 Nm of torque. The German car manufacturer will then
complement this engine with a transmission-mounted electric motor adding an
additional 101 hp and 299 Nm of torque to give the vehicle more
power than the current A250, Autocar reports.
Providing power to the electric motor will be a 15
kWh lithium-ion battery pack which will reportedly offer up to 59 km of all-electric driving. The transmission used by the A250e is expected to be
the same eight-speed unit already used by other compact Mercedes-Benz models
such as the GLB.
The 15 kWh battery pack will be positioned under the
rear seat of the A250e and sit next to the fuel tank. To provide space for the
battery, the car’s fuel tank has been reduced to just 35 liters. This will help to lower the vehicle’s weight when fully-fuelled but
the addition of the battery and electric motor should make the A250e the
heaviest A-Class model on sale.
Pricing details remain unclear but it is inevitable
that the A250e will come at a premium over the non-hybrid A250 model. It will
be the quickest non-AMG model in the A-Class family and should be able to hit 140 km/h in all-electric mode.
