Mercedes C350e hybrid (2017-2018) - MPG, running costs & CO2
The C350e is aimed squarely at business users, thanks to its low CO2 figure
Like most plug-in hybrid models, it’s best to take the official fuel-economy figure of the C350e with a pinch of salt, but careful driving and regular battery top-ups should result in similar economy to the diesel. The real advantages come from the car’s low tailpipe emissions and ability to drive for up to 19 miles in near-silence with no emissions at all.
Mercedes C350e MPG & CO2
The Mercedes C350e has an official fuel-efficiency figure of 134.5mpg – identical to the BMW 330e iPerformance – but even with regular access to a socket to charge the battery pack, you’ll do well to get anywhere near this figure.
More important is the car’s low 48g/km (49g/km for the Estate) CO2 emissions, because this offers company-car drivers access to the lowest 9% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band, bringing real savings compared to other models in the range. It’s important to note this figure requires 17-inch alloy wheels, because the 18 or 19-inch alloys of the AMG Line trim push CO2 into the 13% BiK band.
With emissions well below 75g/km, the C350e also qualifies for free access to the London Congestion Charge zone – and hopefully any other emissions-based tariffs likely to pop up in the coming years.
Fitted with a 6.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the C350e has an all-electric range of up to 19 miles – slightly less than the claimed 25-mile range of the BMW 330e iPerformance, which has a larger 7.6kWh battery. The Volvo V60 Twin Engine can pip both here though, with an all-electric range of 30 miles.
Charging takes between four and six hours from a plug socket, reducing to around two to three hours using a dedicated home-charging point. Mercedes has partnered with Chargemaster, which can provide a Homecharge wallbox for around £280. The C350e has a Type 2 connector with a charging rate of 3.7kW and comes with two eight-metre cables for plug sockets and charging points.
Insurance groups
The C350e was designed to be cheap to run, but insurance groups of 38 for lower trims and 39 for top versions could result in high premiums. These are around 10 higher than a diesel C-Class, while the C350e’s closest rival from BMW sits in group 31.
Warranty
Every Mercedes comes with a fairly standard three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty, matching BMW. The battery is covered by a six-year warranty, with a cap of 62,000 miles.
Servicing
Servicing for the C350e shouldn’t be any different to the rest of the C-Class range and Mercedes offers a Service Care scheme. This spreads the cost of maintenance, with two services covered by payments of around £35 for 24 months or three services costing £45 for 36 months.
