Plug-In Hybrid Sedan With The Highest All-Electric Range In 2024

Plug-In hybrids are all the rage right now. Most manufacturers produce cars that use a combined powertrain of electricity and internal combustion. Unlike a traditional hybrid, which uses an electric motor to simply assist the internal combustion engine in driving the wheels, a plug-in hybrid can entirely drive the vehicle using its electric motor. This motor’s batteries are charged up in the same way an electric car is, with a wire and plug. Hence, the plug-in hybrid.

Plug-in hybrids have a huge advantage in terms of fuel efficiency compared to both ICEs and traditional hybrids. The advantage over ICE cars is obvious. The electric motor assists the engine (most impactfully coming from a dead stop, where the motor provides instant torque) and reduces the amount of petroleum consumed over the long run. However, the plug-in hybrid also allows the user to use no petroleum at all, if they so choose. For driving around town, the plug-in hybrid is just as good as an EV.

It’s easy to see why carmakers are excited about this technology as a bridge between the ICE and the fully electrified future. With all that out of the way, you’re likely curious about which plug-in hybrid sedan gets the most mileage on a single charge. Well, here it is.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Mercedes’ website and the EPA.

The Mercedes-Benz S580e Has The Longest All-Electric Range Of Any Sedan

Welcome to the plug-in hybrid sedan with the longest range. Mercedes-Benz has done it again. The S-Class has been the leader in advancing auto technology for decades. It would not be denied in the world of plug-in technology either. Mercedes has brought new technology into its famous luxury line, and made it the king, the first try. The S580e is another feather in the S-Class’ cap.

It Will Go 46 Miles On Battery Alone

46 miles on battery charge may sound a little low, but remember, the plug-in hybrid is designed to work with an ICE engine alongside the electric motor. However, 46 miles is really nothing to laugh at. The average American commutes 41 miles a day for work. Theoretically, you could do your entire trip on electric power alone in your S580e. All of that is done in sumptuous comfort behind the wheel of the gold standard of luxury sedan driving.

The S580e Is Efficient

Don’t think that the plug-in S-Class is just a gimmick. Plug-in hybrids have advantages in both efficiency and power. The electric motor does provide a serious boost to the fuel efficiency of the car compared to the purely gasoline-powered version.

The Big Mercedes Gets 68 MPGe On The Highway

MPGe is a rating that is designed to compare electrified mileage to gas mileage. For the S580e that number is 68 on the highway. For comparison, this is similar to a Volkswagen Golf Diesel. You can take a massive luxury sedan across the country at a similar level of efficiency as a diesel hatchback.

This is the brilliance of the plug-in hybrid. It provides all the positives of an economical car, but in the packaging of whatever kind of car you’d like. In this case, a giant luxury limousine. When we look at the traditional S-Class, we see it only gets 29 MPG on the highway. The hybrid powertrain more than doubles the distance of the car. Even better, the benefits of having a plugin-hybrid doesn’t end there.

All This With A 500+ Horsepower Powertrain

Plug-in hybrids also provide a boost to the power of a vehicle. Electric motors are known for their ridiculous acceleration. That acceleration carries over when you add an electric motor to a big sedan. The S580e has 503 horsepower. With those horses, it can do 0-60 MPH in under five seconds. This means you can pull up purpose-built speedy sedans like the Alfa Romeo Giulia at the lights, and smoke them. Here are some more performance figures.

(Data Sourced From Mercedes)

These are bonafide numbers for a huge luxury sedan. An S-Class no less. You used to have to get an AMG version of a big Mercedes to get these kinds of numbers. Now you go green and you get some performance as payback. It’s cheaper to run, and it doesn’t lose any of the thrills. Plug-in hybrid technology is pretty cool.

The Plug-In S-Class Is Not Cheap

Mercedes is not known as a budget brand. That’s probably because it isn’t. It’s been one of the top luxury brands in the world for over a century. Many dictators have had Mercedes, (more specifically the 600 Grosser) which is kind of a black mark on the brand. However, it also shows that the brand is so good, that those with absolute power choose it over anything else. Here’s what we know about the pricing of the S580e.

It Starts At $127,750

As we said, it’s not cheap. A starting price of over $125,000 is a bit mind-blowing for a sedan, even one as nice as an S-Class. However, it’s not a huge jump up from the base model. An S500 costs $117,800 to start; so, about eight grand more for the plug-in hybrid, which starts at $127,750. Presumably, over the life of the car, it would be pretty easy to save that money on fuel costs, so the offset is not a huge deal. However, the comparable petroleum model is slightly more expensive. The S580e 4-Matic starts at $128,150. So if you want to buy a 55-inch TV, get the plug-in hybrid, and save $400.

Fully Loaded, Prices Can Go Over $165,000

The S580e has some crazy options. Rear climate control is only included in the executive line package, which is $16,100. You can have ventilated and cooled rear seats for $3,800, but that won’t provide rear controls. You also can get rear-wheel steering for better driving. With all the upgrades, you can push the price well over $150,000 all the way to about $166,000. That’s essentially an entire Toyota Tacoma for the cost of optional extras on the Mercedes. Woof.

The Prius Prime Is The Runner Up

The Mercedes isn’t the only plug-in hybrid sedan that will do over 40 miles on its EV battery. Toyota, the king of economical driving, is right there as well. The Prius Prime is the newest offering from the most popular hybrid franchise of all time, and predictably, it’s extremely economical as well.

The Hybrid Legend Will Do 44 Miles On Its Battery

44 miles; just two short of the Mercedes. The Prius Prime is designed to be an improvement on the long-standing first-choice hybrid vehicle for people all over the globe. The Prime version of the historical hybrid vehicle is not just an eco box. It has a massive touchscreen display, a huge glass roof, and traffic jam assist. It can even do 0-60 in a brisk 6.6 seconds. The real party piece, however, is, of course, the economy. We’re not going to bury the lede.

While it can do 44 miles on battery alone, it gets a stunning 133 MPGe combined. That is double the Mercedes highway efficiency. An absolutely staggering figure. Toyota always wants to push the boundaries of what is possible for economical cars.

2024 Toyota Prius Prime Specs

(Specs sourced from Toyota)

Toyota as always brings the heat to the hybrid world. The Prius Prime starts at $32,675. which puts it at about a quarter of the price of the Mercedes. So really, it does beg the question, is that ~$90,000 worth the two miles of electric range? Of course, the differences aren’t just there. The Prius Prime is obviously a much more spartan vehicle in terms of accommodation and equipment. There will be no massaging seats, or rear television screens to be found in the Prime. It all depends on what you want as a consumer. They are two completely different vehicles with one thing linking them. The power of plug-in hybrid technology.