Mercedes-Benz may abandon the extended-range electric vehicle project and devote itself to pure electric drive

According to the latest report from Autocar, Mercedes-Benz has decided to terminate its testing program for extended-range electric vehicles. The German automaker had previously looked to using extended-range technology to enhance the practicality and market appeal of its electric vehicles.

The extended-range hybrid system uses a specially modified fuel engine to act as a generator when the battery power is low. However, although this technology seemed promising, Mercedes-Benz made strategic adjustments after in-depth research and development. According to a source familiar with the company's internal research and development, the company has now shifted its research and development focus to simpler and more cost-effective pure electric drive systems.

The narrator said: “We once developed a prototype of an extended-range electric vehicle based on existing models, and conducted packaging and road testing. However, after in-depth evaluation, we believe that the extended-range technology is just a transition. It is a sexual solution, its market advantage period may be relatively short-lived, and its production cost is also high.”

##Mercedes-Benz once created an additional model based on the EQS model. A prototype car equipped with a front-mounted turbocharged 1.0-liter twin-cylinder engine. This engine is used exclusively as a generator and does not directly drive the vehicle. The engine is thermodynamically optimized through the Miller cycle to improve operating efficiency at constant rpm, and is equipped with a front-mounted exhaust system that eliminates the need for long exhaust pipes.

In addition, this prototype uses a rear electric motor with a maximum power of 268 horsepower, and the battery capacity is about half that of the mass-produced EQS model. The two-cylinder engine provides backup power in the event plug-in charging is not possible. Sources revealed that the fuel tank capacity of this prototype has not yet been announced, but the theoretical cruising range is expected to exceed the 784 kilometers of the pure electric rear-drive EQS 450.

In the Chinese market, extended-range electric vehicles are still popular to a certain extent. In order to alleviate consumers' concerns about battery life, many Chinese automakers have provided extended-range versions of some models. This strategic shift by Mercedes-Benz may herald further recognition and acceptance of pure electric vehicles in the global automotive market.

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