Silicon Valley Sedan – Living with the dual-personality C350e plug-in hybrid

Article and images – Allen & Joan Stephens

After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, we quickly realized that we needed a hybrid car to take advantage of the benefits offered in California for clean, fuel-efficient vehicles. Great gas mileage, freeway access and tax incentives compelled us to purchase a hybrid, but we were not ready to settle for a Toyota Prius or a Nissan Leaf – we wanted a Mercedes-Benz. 

While doing research on which car we wanted to buy, we discovered that the Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrid power train was available in the attractive W205 chassis. A quick internet search revealed one available for sale in our area, a Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned 2018 C350e with only 6,000 miles. During the test drive, the car looked and smelled like new, and was priced at a nice discount over a brand-new C-Class.

Packing a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine coupled with a 60-kilowatt (80 horsepower) electric motor and shifted through a 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic transmission, the C350e delivers 275 horsepower and 443 pound feet of torque combined. It is rated at 51 mpg when operating on electric power and gas combined, and 30 mpg when running on the gasoline engine. The power delivery is seamless when transitioning from electric to gas drive.

But what is it like to live with day to day? After taking delivery in December 2018, we have put 4,000 miles on it in mixed commuting and weekend back-road driving. Joan is the primary driver, with a 12-mile one-way slog on weekdays between our home and the Apple campus in Cupertino. After charging the C350e overnight, she heads out with a full battery providing about 10 miles of all-electric range in commute traffic. When driving at slow speeds, the car runs on electric power. Merging on the freeway, the gas engine kicks in. After charging at work, she is able to return home in electric mode in bumper-to-bumper traffic. On a typical day, she will commute a total of 24 miles in total – 15 running all-electric – with the on-screen display reporting more than 54 mpg for the day. 

On the weekends, Allen takes the wheel for running errands or spirited drives up into the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains. The C350e offers five drive modes – Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. With sharper steering, stiffer suspension, and crisper shifting and throttle response, he prefers Sport mode; the gasoline engine powers the car when in this mode. The paddle shifters provide an engaging driving experience, and the chassis delivers excellent handling and sharp turn-in.

Air suspension is standard equipment on the C350e and makes a big difference in ride quality. Plugging in the phone, we can enjoy podcasts and our music library through Apple CarPlay. When our two children jump in the back seat, the C-Class provides plenty of legroom and the MB-Tex upholstery repels any stains.

We received a federal tax credit available for qualified plug-in electric drive vehicles, with the C350e eligible for a $3,501 credit in 2018. In California, special programs are available, including the Clean Air Vehicle decal program that allows single-driver occupancy use of the High Occupancy Vehicle or carpool lanes.

For 2019, Mercedes-Benz offers the plug-in hybrid power train in the GLC350e compact SUV. The C350e sedan is still available in the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned program; many examples are available at this writing.

It turns out that the Mercedes-Benz C350e is the dual-personality car we have always wanted – all business and fantastic gas mileage during the week, and a stylish sedan offering a sporty driving experience on the weekend.

2018 MERCEDES-BENZ C350e PLUG-IN HYBRID (W205)

TYPE: four-door, five-passenger sedan

ENGINE: 1,991cc turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine with 60 kW electric motor

TRANSMISSION: 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic

ENGINE HORSEPOWER: 208 at 5,500 • ENGINE TORQUE: 258 lb-ft at 1,200-4,000 rpm

MOTOR HORSEPOWER: 80 hp • MOTOR TORQUE: 251 lb-ft

SYSTEM HORSEPOWER: 275 hp • SYSTEM TORQUE: 443 lb-ft

BATTERY CAPACITY: 6.2 kWh • ELECTRIC RANGE: 10 miles observed

TOP SPEED: 130 mph (limited)

FUEL EFFICIENCY: 30 mpg gasoline only, 51 mpg combined

The C350e arrives for work at a large Apple campus in Cupertino, California.

Our C350e parked at home.

Charging the car’s battery is simple; note carpool-lane sticker.

Visiting another nearby Apple facility.

Taking in a vista during a weekend blast up into the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains.

The interior is standard C-Class: in other words, elegant and comfortable.

In front of the movie theater in charming small town Los Gatos