Maybe you like the idea of driving an electric car but not the idea of worrying about how far you can drive before you run out of electricity. Or how long you'll have to wait while it recharges. Behold the plug-in hybrid, the part-time electric car, a more practical electric car.
It can get you down the road without burning any gas — if your trip is within the range of its fully charged batteries. And when you run out of electricity, you won't have to stop to recharge, because there's an internal-combustion engine backup. It kicks in when the batteries wilt and lets you keep on going.
What It Is
The GLC 350e is the plug-in hybrid version of the Mercedes-Benz GLC Class SUV.
Recharge — or refill — as you prefer.
Base price is $49,990.
What's New
The plug-in hybrid version of the GLC is new.
What's Good
It's an electric car for short hops that's capable of longer hops without lengthy pit stops.
It is stronger and has more power and easier thrust than the non-hybrid GLC 300.
Batteries don't eat up the cargo space.
What's Not So Good
You still need to plug in — unless you're willing to gas up.
Plug-in capability adds about $8k to the sticker price.
Plug-in gear also adds almost 600 pounds to the curb weight.
Under the Hood
The GLC 350e has two of everything: two batteries, one small to start the gas engine, one bigger to drive the electric motor; and two fuel doors, one for gas, the other for plug-in.
Combined, the 2.0-liter gas engine and the 8.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery/electric motor have 315 horsepower and 413 foot-pounds of torque — enough to get the GLC from zero to 60 mph in about six seconds flat.
Or you can travel about 20 miles on just the batteries — assuming there's a full charge.
Mileage depends on how far you go and how much you rely on the gas engine to get there. The Environmental Protection Agency says it is possible to get as much as 74 mpge — a hypothetical measure of gas/electric economy — with the batteries doing most of the work.
On the Road
The GLC 350e launches with almost V-8 authority, which it ought to, given the 400-plus foot-pounds of torque that are on tap. It may not be quicker than the non-hybrid GLC 300 by the numbers (because of the extra weight), but it feels quicker and the quickness is easier . You hardly need to depress the accelerator pedal to get very impressive acceleration — a function all that torque being at your command at just 1,300 rpm.
Transitions between the electric and IC engine, and some combination of both seem almost impossible to divine when watching the instruments (the tachometer needle will fall to zero rpm when the gas engine shuts down) or feeling the haptic accelerator pedal in E-Mode, which encourages a light foot by pushing back slightly when it thinks you're pushing a bit too hard. This is intended to coach you to drive in such a way as to maximize the range/efficiency of the layout.
At the Curb
Though technically a compact, the GLC isn't tiny — or tight. In fact, it has nearly as much passenger space (including 40.8 inches of first-row legroom and 37.3 inches of back-seat legroom) as the midsized GLE (40.3 inches and 38.3 inches, respectively) and much more space than the subcompact GLA (which only has 27.1 inches of second-row legroom).
Cargo capacity is 19.4 cubic feet behind the second row and 56.5 cubic feet total.
It is worth mentioning here that the GLC SUV layout is perfect for the plug-in hybrid layout because there's room for the batteries and cargo.
The Rest
The GLC is meticulously and tastefully trimmed, as well as thoughtfully designed. Examples of this include the thumbwheel control on the center console for the radio volume and the stylish but functional ball-type air vents, which can be angled to direct airflow in more nuanced ways than up or down (and left or right) box-type air vents.
You can also get higher-echelon Mercedes amenities, such as a fragrance dispenser (in the glovebox) and a top-drawer Burmester audio system, an upgraded 8.4-inch LCD display, ambient interior lighting and AMG (Mercedes' performance division) trim.
The Bottom Line
Part-time electric cars like the GLC 350e may not be able to go as far on the batteries as full-time electric cars, but unlike full-time electric cars, you're not tied to an electrical umbilical cord — and you can refuel almost anywhere and be back on the road in minutes rather than hours.
And that's no small advantage.
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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