Mercedes-Benz, Qualcomm Unveil Wireless Charging for Plug-in Hybrid S-Class

Announcement marks the first commercial application of the technology

While electric vehicles (EV) have long had the edge over their gasoline counterparts when it comes to performance, effective and convenient charging of EVs remained a challenging obstacle to overcome. Until now.

In May of 2015, Daimler and American semiconductor and communications giant Qualcomm announced that the two companies were working together on EVs with wireless charging. Recently, the result of their efforts can be seen in the upcoming 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550e plug-in hybrid.

The S550e will be the first plug-in electric vehicle that will come with a wireless charging option from Mercedes-Benz, and it will use Qualcomm’s wireless electric vehicle charging (WEVC) technology.

Instead of plugging in a cable that connects to a charging station or wall outlet, S550e owners will be able to simply park over a pad on the ground to start charging, which will happen at about 90 percent efficiency.

In the press release announcing the S550e, Qualcomm and Mercedes-Benz explained that this wireless option is "an important step in making self-driving cars truly autonomous." There's an important reason for this, because, "you cannot call a car 'autonomous' if it cannot fuel/recharge itself."

The latest S550e can also be seen as a signal of intent for the future of the Mercedes-Benz brand; one that includes much more electrification across the Mercedes-Benz lineup.

Recently, at the Paris Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Generation EQ concept (pictured above). In addition to its futuristic design, the Generation EQ concept employs a 70kWh battery that allows it to travel up to 310 miles.

According to various reports, it is said that the Generation EQ heralds a future sub-brand for Mercedes-Benz, the first examples of which should hit showrooms in 2019.

Mercedes-Benz is a brand that continues to innovate, and Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring is excited to share with you more information regarding this exciting new technology, along with any additional information about the 2017 S550e.

Until then, contact us online or visit us at 3301 Briggs Chaney Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20904 to explore our fine selection of new and pre-owned Mercedes-Benz models. 

Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz