Mercedes-Benz has launched the GLC F-Cell plug-in Hybrid

The Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL – Hydrogen fuel cell + electric power

After the reveal of the full-electric EQC, Mercedes-Benz has now launched something even more unique. They have now launched the GLC F-CELL, a plug-in hybrid SUV that can also run on pure hydrogen. Mercedes-Benz says that the all-electric SUV is suitable for everyday use, because the combination of a battery and a fuel cell improves range and shortens refueling time.

Hidden in the SUV’s floor are two carbon-fibre-encased tanks capable of holding 4.4kg of hydrogen and a 13.5kWh battery pack. The vehicle can deliver a range of close to 430km in NEDC cycle. In hybrid mode the SUV can be driven for 51km more on a fully charged battery. The combined output of the fuel cell and the electric motor is 207bhp while the electric motor alone produces 364Nm of torque right from the get go.

The GLC F-CELL also has three drive programs, Eco, Comfort and Sport which can optimize the use of both energy sources according to the driving operation. The hybrid SUV also has four operating modes, Hybrid, F-Cell, Battery and Charge mode.

When in Hybrid mode, the vehicle extracts power from both energy sources. Power peaks are handled by the battery, while the fuel cell runs in the optimum efficiency range. In F-CELL mode, the state of charge of the battery is kept constant by the energy from the fuel cell. In this mode only hydrogen is consumed. In Battery mode, the GLC F-CELL runs all-electrically and is powered by the high-voltage battery. Once put into Charge mode, it only makes sure that the battery is fully charged.

Mercedes-Benz will offer the GLC F-CELL exclusively in the form of a full-service rental model, and will focus on major cities which are well equipped with hydrogen filling stations, such as Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne.

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