The German luxury car maker has decided to bring back its in-line six-cylinder configuration for its engine range, but following a future technology, a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The facelift S-Class will be the first Mercedes-Benz car to receive this new technology with the M256 series of In-line six-cylinder petrol engine. This updated version of S-Class will launch as a 2018 model.
The new hybrid technology will have an electric motor that is directly attached to the crankshaft. This electric motor has three functions: Alternator, Starter and e-power boost. According to the Mercedes, the starter-generator can provide up to 18 hp of assistance harvest up to 20 hp of regenerative braking.
The electric motor is mounted right at the crankshaft that allows the engine to crank in just a fraction of a second. The company also claims that the new system will also give a hike between 10 and 15% in fuel efficiency.
You can also read: Mercedes-Benz All S-Class Models
The new 48V mild-hybrid technology will first introduce to the 6-cylinder setups and progressively replace the existing V6 units throughout the Mercedes range.
Since the electric motor is not connected to the gearbox, there is no way of disconnecting it from the engine, and the vehicle can not drive under electric power only. That is why the whole setup is called a mild-hybrid.
The In-line six-cylinder petrol engine is closely related to the OM654 4-cylinder diesel engine which the carmaker recently introduced in the new E-Class. According to the Mercedes driveline engineering boss, it will be joined by a diesel equivalent using the same integrated starter/generator later.
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