Mercedes GLE Plug-in Hybrid Review

Range     

Mercedes claims you’ll get up to 66 miles from a full charge, but also says that’ll fluctuate to as little as 50. A good rule of thumb is the larger the size of the alloy wheels, the smaller the range you’ll get. The top spec GLE 350de gets 22-inch wheels which, while they look great, not only affect the ride quality but also put a dent into the range. Our car had 20-inch wheels and we were getting around 60 miles which for a big plug-in hybrid SUV isn’t bad at all. There are a number of driving modes with Eco helping to eek out the range.

Battery 

The GLE 350de gets a 31.2kWh battery which may sound small if you’re considering the Mercedes EQC pure-electric SUV (the EQC has an 80kWh battery) but it’s actually pretty big for a PHEV. In fact, it’s not just pretty big but class leading and beats rivals like the BMW X5 xDrive 45e. Mercedes has mounted the battery under the boot floor which means the GLE plug-in only comes as a five-seater – it’s still a large five-seater with a big boot but remember the Volvo XC90 Recharge does sacrifice its two seats in the boot and remains a seven-seat SUV just like the petrol and diesel models.

Charging

The GLE 350de is charged just like any other electric car and has a charging port on the kerbside – and on the opposite side to where you fill the car with diesel. Unusually for a plug-in hybrid, the GLE can also be rapid charged meaning charging times can be dramatically shorter if you plug in to a fast or rapid charger at a supermarket car park or motorway services. Hooking up to a 7kW home wallbox will take five hours to replenish the car’s battery or if you connect to a 50kW fast charger then an 80% top-up will take just 20 minutes. If you can only hook up to a three-pin domestic socket then a full charge will take over 11 hours, but the good news is Mercedes throws in cables suitable for three-pin and wallbox/charging point for free.