Mexican Media Brands
Mercedes Plug-in Hybrid to Get Wireless Charger
Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz unit will introduce wireless inductive charging capability for its S550e plug-in hybrid when an updated version of the car bows next year.
#hybrid
Share
Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz unit will introduce wireless inductive charging capability for its S550e plug-in hybrid when an updated version of the car bows next year.
A coil located in the vehicle’s floorboard charges the battery when it’s positioned over floor-mounted base plate containing a primary coil plugged into an electrical outlet.
A cockpit display helps drivers line up over the charging pad. The vehicle also can be guided into place via an automated parking feature.
Electricity is transferred at 3.6 kW with a 90% transmission rate, which Mercedes says is slightly less than that of a traditional wired system. As part of the mid-cycle upgrade, the S550e also will get a larger battery, moving from an 8.7-kWh unit to a 13.5-kWh pack.
Mercedes has been testing the wireless charger on prototype cars since last year. Pricing and installation costs for the system haven’t been announced.
In addition to the wireless technology, Mercedes will add a DC fast-charging system on all 2018 plug-in electric models. DC fast-charging can replenish 80% of the battery’s energy within about 30 minutes.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Special Report: Toyota & Issues Electric
Although Toyota’s focus on hybrid powertrains at the seeming expense of the development of a portfolio of full battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for the market could cause some concern among those of an environmental orientation, in that Toyota doesn’t seem to be sufficiently supportive of the environment, in their estimation. Here’s something that could cause a reconsideration of that point of view.
-
On Traffic Jams, Vehicle Size, Building EVs and more
From building electric vehicles—and training to do so—to considering traffic and its implication on drivers and vehicle size—there are plenty of considerations for people and their utilization of technology in the industry.
-
On Ford Maverick, Toyota Tundra Hybrid, and GM's Factory Footprint
GM is transforming its approach to the auto market—and its factories. Ford builds a small truck for the urban market. Toyota builds a full-size pickup and uses a hybrid instead of a diesel. And Faurecia thinks that hydrogen is where the industry is going.
