Mercedes-Benz developing a hydrogen plug-in hybrid GLC-Class

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For yrs, there’s been a substantial argument among automobile lovers about which alternate fuel tech is the heading to be the way of the foreseeable future — hydrogen or electrification? To solution that problem, Mercedes-Benz considered, why not both equally?

BMW has been developing both equally separately for some time now, with a couple of hydrogen automobiles and even additional electric powered cars and trucks. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz is at this time developing a solitary automobile that has both equally technologies in it. A hydrogen-driven plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz GLC-Course, dubbed the GLC F-Cell. Strange.

This new Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell will really go on sale at the end of this month, in select cities this kind of as Stuttgart, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin and Dusseldorf. So it is a authentic-deal creation automobile and not just some zany idea to grab headlines.

What’s interesting about it is that it is heading to be a plug-in hybrid that doesn’t burn an ounce of gasoline. It will have a hydrogen fuel cell with a 4.4 kg tank up front under the hood, as effectively as a thirteen.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Both of which provide as power sources for the 208 hp electric powered motor at the rear axle.

Beneath complete hybrid power, working with both equally the hydrogen fuel cell and the battery, the F-Cell is able of 297 miles of assortment, with 31 miles of pure battery-electric powered assortment. Certainly, the hydrogen tank can be refilled in minutes, much like a gasoline-driven automobile, but the battery only can take about one.5 hrs to cost from 10-100 % from a regular wall charger.

There are 4 distinct driving modes Hybrid, which uses both equally power sources in complete F-Cell, which uses only the hydrogen fuel cell Battery, which operates completely on electric power and Demand, which aims at recharging the battery additional than something else. The latter is very likely to use some of the hydrogen fuel to cost the battery as effectively, much like a regular plug-in hybrid would.

This is an intriguing automobile, as it combines both equally main alternate fuel technologies. On the other hand, I’m battling to see the position. Why not just ditch the battery pack and make it a correct hydrogen-driven automobile with an even more substantial fuel cell and additional assortment? Mercedes-Benz currently has an electric powered GLC-Course coming, the EQC, so why make a hydrogen hybrid, somewhat than just a hydrogen automobile? I don’t really see the position in obtaining both equally but it is nonetheless an intriguing exercise in alternate fuel.

It also reveals that BMW is not by yourself in continuing to glance into hydrogen power. Brands like Tesla have dismissed hydrogen as inferior to pure battery electric powered cars and trucks (as if hydrogen could be bad for Tesla’s business #sarcasmfont) but quite a few other main brand names are continuing to go after it, this kind of as BMW, Toyota, Honda and, clearly, Mercedes-Benz. It will be intriguing to see if additional initiatives like the GLC F-Cell keep on to pop up.

[Supply: Vehicle Scoops]