Mercedes has instructed the engine will later be made accessible with totally different outputs, and although powertrain lead engineer Karsten Krebs wouldn’t be drawn on a sensible most energy determine for the four-pot, he did inform Autocar that the three preliminary tunes are “the place we begin”, suggesting there’s the likelihood for uptuned sporting derivatives sooner or later.
Mercedes continues to be homologating the engine forward of the CLA’s launch subsequent yr, and has not but given any projected MPG figures, however when requested for a touch, Krebs mentioned “we really feel you are reaching diesel ranges of gasoline effectivity with the hybrid powertrain”.
The outgoing CLA is formally able to round 55mpg when geared up with a 2.0-litre diesel engine – and Autocar’s testers discovered it simple to attain 60mpg+ at a cruise – and if the brand new M252 will get near that, it may very well be one of the environment friendly petrol engines in its class.
The 27bhp EV motor is ready to energy the automobile for brief distances by itself at speeds of as much as 62mph, drawing its energy from a 1.3kWh 48V battery – additionally packaged as tightly as attainable – beneath the entrance passenger seat. Charging is through recuperation at as much as 25kW beneath deceleration.
Utilizing the electrical motor to begin the engine means Mercedes might dispose of the necessity for a traditional starter motor, so the start-stop perform is “virtually imperceptible for the motive force”.
