Mercedes CLE coupe now available with plug-in hybrid power

The Mercedes CLE now offers something its BMW 4 Series rival can’t – plug-in hybrid power. This feature should help boost the appeal of Merc’s classy two-door, four-seat coupe among company car drivers. 

Under the bonnet of the new ‘CLE 300 e with EQ Hybrid Technology’, to use its full name, is a 201bhp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine working together with a 127bhp electric motor and 25.4kWh high-voltage battery developed in-house. 

The combined power output is 309bhp and 550Nm of torque, all of which is sent to the rear wheels for a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds. 

But being a plug-in hybrid means the CLE 300 e can return up to 470.9mpg in official tests. If you’re careful, Mercedes also claims a 69-mile pure-electric range. That, taken together with CO2 emissions of just 13 g/km, means the CLE PHEV benefits from a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate of eight per cent for company car drivers. 

Prices for the Mercedes CLE 300 e start from £60,610, and buyers have a choice of three specifications: AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and Premier Edition. Standard equipment includes a 11.9-inch portrait touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, comfort suspension setup, a panoramic sliding sunroof, 360-degree camera system and a suite of driver assistance tech.

Elsewhere in the Mercedes range, the E-Class saloon and GLE SUV are now available with a diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain. The E 300 de is priced from £66,610, has a 68-mile zero-emissions range and supposedly returns up to 706.3mpg. Meanwhile, the GLE 300 de starts from £77,360, can cover 63 miles on battery power, and officially averages up to 403.6mpg.

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