Mercedes-Benz Officially Unveils the GLE550e

Mercedes-Benz have officially unveiled the GLE550e, the company’s first-ever plug-in hybrid SUV. The GLE-class replaces the ML-class in the company’s new branding strategy and sports a 329-hp V-6 engine with a 85-kilowatt (114 hp) electric motor found in between the engine and the seven-speed automatic transmission. A combination of the two systems is said to have a total output of 436 hp with a maximum torque of 479 pound-feet. As with the other plug-in hybrid models, the driver can select from Hybrid mode, E-Mode (which provides all-electric travel up to 81 mph), E-Save (which conserves the battery charge for future use), and Charge (which uses the engine to charge the battery). No pricing has been set but it’s expected to go on sale this September.