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Powering a New Class of Hybrids

Mercedes has announced plans to produce the first hybrid cars with powerful lithium-ion batteries. The cars won't roll off the assembly lines until 2009, but the Germans are hoping to break Japanese dominance of the electric-motor market.

Mercedes-Benz will unveil a new car battery this week. It uses about as much space as a conventional lead battery (meant only to start engines), but it packs a whopping 120 volts — about ten times the power of its more ordinary cousin — and it will be used, starting next year, in the luxury Mercedes S-Class line of hybrids.

The S-Class will be the world's first series-production hybrid car with an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery. << Read the full article at AMG Market here >>

Another resource for those interested: Oil Obit - Energy News (energy and environment info including articles on hybrid cars). 

Editor's Note: We don't know if AMG Mercedes-Benz intends to get in the electric car business. I can't image they are not at least taking a look at future technologies for high-performance vehicles. We'll let you know if we hear of anything. Does anyone know of any research projects at AMG?