Sep 2
Written by: Aaron Turpen 70 views
Published on September 2nd, 2009 in Hybrid Vehicles

Mercedes, whose new E Class sedan has a coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0.24–better than both the Prius and the Insight. When we reported on this in early May, it was a complete shock to us that Mercedes was the current leader. Especially with such a classy-looking vehicle like this E-class.
Now Mercedes has said that they’re pushing their Cd down to 0.20 and will have it there within five years. This would put them not only at the best rating for currently mass-produced vehicles, but would mean they’re better than many of the “e-vehicles” in limited production now.
The best part is, unlike better-performing engines or motors, lighter batteries, and such, a better Cd improves the efficiency of the car no matter what powers it or who’s driving. Plus, if Mercedes can keep pulling off better Cd while retaining nice styling, it will make everyone take notice.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of seeing glorified bubbles with wheels and can’t wait for better-looking cars to dominate the e-scene.
Tags: insight, Mercedes, prius
Related Posts
One of the greatest factors in fuel economy (whether it be gasoline, diesel, or electric) is the drag coefficient of the vehicle itself. The worse the drag, the higher the coefficient number, and the less economical the vehicle will [...]
Read More...
Unveiled at the New York Auto Show in early April, the Mercedes ML450 hybrid will be released in the U.S. and Canada before it is seen in the rest of the world. The ML450 is a crossover sport utility vehicle.
[...]
Read More...
Mercedes-Benz has a new hydrogen fuel cell car, the B-Class F-Cell. The car has a top speed of 170km/h (106mph), a range of 385km (239 miles) and an output of 100kW/136hp and 290Nm torque. Wow!
[...]
Read More...
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid at the UITP World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition in Vienna earlier this month. The bus is hydrogen powered and has so far shown good performance during fleet testing.
[...]
Read More...
Back in January, at the North American International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz introduced the concept BlueZERO platform for the modular production of three different vehicle drive trains: an electric (E-Cell), a hydrogen fuel cell (F-Cell), and a range-extended electric (E-Cell PLUS). [...]
Read More...
Mercedez-Benz has begun tests of a new hybrid bus dubbed the Citaro G Bluetec Hybrid, which it claims is equipped with the world’s largest EV lithium battery pack. The battery pack weighs 771 pounds and provides 180 kW to the [...]
Read More...