The Mercedes S400 luxury hybrid, the company's first hybrid car, will also be the first car in production to use lithium-ion batteries.
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For the company's S-Class series, its line of luxury sedans, Mercedes-Benz has decided to jump on the hybrid bandwagon and add its own fuel-efficient vehicle to the fleet. The automaker's first-ever hybrid production vehicle is the Mercedes S400, which will make its debut in 2010.
The gas-electric powertrain produces 295 horsepower and reaches an estimated 29 miles per gallon (12.3 kilometers per liter), which is a 30-percent increase over the similar S550 model. Notably, the S400 will be the world's first car in mass production to use a lithium-ion battery, which many auto experts claim is the next step in battery technology.
There's no price listed yet for the Mercedes S400, but if other S-Class vehicles with conventional gasoline engines go for at least $89,350, you can expect the hybrid's price to be even higher.
