Mercedes GLE 350 de: How does the diesel hybrid fare in the test?

A lso, it can be more uncomfortable in the idea, to advance the mobility transition than in the GLE 350 de. It doesn't require any compromises at all, springs just as diligently, accommodates the passengers with unrestricted space, maintains prudence and even a certain agility in handling - and all of this despite the 400-kilo electric plant that it carries with it: the 100-kW electric motor in the housing of the nine-speed automatic, the space-saving high-voltage battery with 31.2 kWh capacity positioned above the rear axle, the power electronics, all the cables and the charging connection. It sits behind a flap on the left flank and fits type 2 and CCS plugs. At 60 kW charging power, the battery is full in a good half an hour. And its range extends far.

Mercedes-Benz

Up to 160 km /h it can drive purely electrically. On our electric consumption lap, the GLE roamed 98 km - so far no plug-in hybrid has come with us.

In general, it works really well with the plug-in department, which was built into the GL from the start, was not added later as was the case with the predecessor. From a standing start, the 350 de braces itself with the power of the electric motor's 440 Nm. The four-cylinder diesel only cuts in when you push a strong resistance in the accelerator pedal. But it doesn't have to be for a long time. The GLE streams out of the city, onto the country road and the motorway. There it can drive purely electrically up to 160 km /h. On our electric consumption round, the GLE traveled 98 km - no plug-in hybrid has come that far with us. That is actually always enough for everyday commuting and makes you stand out on long journeysdecent portion.

Let it stuck

Even after that, the hybrid drive supports the two-liter diesel, recuperating energy when the accelerator is released, with which it boosts if necessary and thus the apparent ungodliness of the four-cylinder in the GLE perfectly compensates. All the boosting and recuperation, switching on and off of the combustion engine works in unobtrusive perfection. The only anomalies are the imprecise, slack pressure point of the brake pedal, the diesel nailing more concise at higher speeds and the low consumption that the on-board computer shows.

According to our ams profile, it is 1.5 liters of diesel plus 21 , 1 kWh of electricity per 100 km - makes 142 g CO2 /km. This corresponds to a diesel equivalent of 5.4 l /100 km. Quite sensational for a 2,674 kg, all-wheel-drive, whisper-quiet, 210 km /h, five-seat travel salon that can pull 3.5-ton trailers. The GLE 350 de is therefore the perfect car when the mobility transition is coming.