At its home motorshow in
Frankfurt, Mercedes-Benz will unveil its take on the whole range extending thing. It's generally agreed that with current battery technology electric cars will not suit the majority of drivers, as people are understandably worried about the consequences of running out of juice. So, like the Chevrolet Volt before it, the BlueZero E-Cell Plus concept features an on-board range extender that can be refuelled by conventional means.
To you and me, it's an engine; a three-cylinder turbodiesel of 67bhp output to be exact. It is not directly connected to the driving wheels though; instead it acts merely as a generator of electricity from which the bank of lithium ion batteries can be charged.
Mercedes reckons that the concept will drive for about 62 miles (100 kilometres) on electric power before needing assistance from the engine. Obviously, if your journey is less than that the car's batteries can be recharged via a domestic power socket. That'll take about six hours - though if you use a special rapid charger it should take only an hour or so.
Obviously this car is still a long way from the showroom, though Mercedes does refer to it as 'near-series'. We'll find out more at the Frankfurt Show later this month.
Shane O' Donoghue - 2 Sep 2009