April 06, 2023 – Important factors for the lifecycle assessment of a plug-in hybrid vehicle include the resources consumed in production and the charging processes of the high voltage battery during vehicle operation. In production, the additional drivetrain components of the new Mercedes-Benz C Class C 300 e plug-in hybrid sedan (WLTP: combined fuel consumption, weighted 0.7 – 0.5 l/100 km, combined CO₂ emissions, weighted 16 – 12 g/km, combined electrical power consumption, weighted 19.8 – 17.8 kWh/100 km)¹ require a greater use of material and energy resources
However, an overall picture only emerges when the entire life cycle is considered: This is because during its operating phase, the C 300 e benefits from the high efficiency of the electrified powertrain.
The lifecycle performance of the C 300e plug-in hybrid at a glance
Mercedes-Benz based its analysis of the charging of the high-voltage battery on two different energy sources: One scenario is based on power from renewable sources (electricity from hydropower)², and the other on the European power mix². Both scenarios are based on a mileage of 200,000 km. The result: If renewable power (hydroelectric power) is used to charge the C 300e, lifecycle CO₂ emissions can be almost halved.
With the increased electric range (WLTP) brought about by the C 300 e battery and its usable energy capacity of approximately 25 kWh and an electric output of 95 kW, the car can cover distances of up to 116 km in all-electric mode without using the combustion engine.
210 components with a total weight of 90.4 kg can be made in part with materials that result in lower consumption of resources (recycled plastics and renewable raw materials).
¹The figures shown are the WLTP CO₂ figures measured according to Article 2 No. 3 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption figures were calculated on the basis of these figures. Electrical consumption has been determined on the basis of Regulation (EC) No. 2017/1151/EU.
²The analysis used the GaBi software and database from 2022 (Version SP2022.01) by Sphera Solutions GmbH.
³The figures shown are the WLTP CO₂ figures measured according to Article 2 No. 3 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption figures were calculated on the basis of these figures. Electrical consumption [and range] have been determined on the basis of Regulation No. 2017/1151/EU.
