Mercedes-Benz India says buyers ready to pay 5-6% more for plug-in hybrids

As electric vehicles grow in popularity in the luxury car market, customers are also leaning increasingly towards plug-in hybrid cars. Mercedes-Benz India is upbeat about the trend. The company says customers are willing to pay 5 to 6 per cent more for these cars than for a petrol car or a fully electric car.

Santosh Iyer, the company's chief executive officer, spelt out the advantages of plug-in hybrid technology. According to him, such a car has both an electric motor and a petrol engine. This means daily commuting can be done on electric driving, and if the battery runs out of charge, the journey can continue on the petrol engine. The option can prove useful for customers who worry about a shortage of charging stations, or who fear running out of range on long journeys.

According to Iyer, the plug-in hybrid Maybach version of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class offers an electric range of about 100 km. That means travel to and from the office, everyday errands in the city or short trips can be handled in electric mode. The petrol engine is there for long journeys, so both kinds of driving can be experienced.

According to the company, a plug-in hybrid car can cost 5 to 6 per cent more than a conventional petrol car or a fully electric car. But customers in the luxury segment expect convenience, flexibility on the road and a good resale value in return for the extra cost. Charging-related problems may also be felt less than with a fully electric car, which is also seen as a major advantage of the technology.

Mercedes-Benz is expanding its range of plug-in hybrid models in India. The technology has come to India for the first time with the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. The E53 AMG plug-in hybrid has also been launched and its deliveries have begun. Deliveries of the plug-in hybrid versions of the S-Class and the Maybach S-Class are expected to begin by the end of October 2026.

The company says its electric car portfolio grew 16 per cent between January and September 2026. During this period, electric cars accounted for about 8 to 9 per cent of the company's total sales. Although the electric car is the ultimate goal, the company will continue to stress offering a choice of powertrains, including petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid.