Why an electric motor?
Mercedes classic cars with an electric powertrain
At Monceau Automobiles we have decided to equip our Mercedes classic cars with an electric powertrain. But why have we done so? Why not just restoring classic vehicles and keep their original internal combustion engines? Well, the reasons are threefold.
As a starting point, we wanted our customers to have an excellent driving experience. This not only means a smooth driving experience but also a care-free driving experience. Nobody likes going to a mechanic to check whether their car is still fully in order. But whereas a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) has a high number of moving parts (hundreds of them), an electric vehicle only has a single moving part, the motor shaft itself. This renders the electric vehicle more reliable which means the vehicle requires a lot less maintenance! No more oil changes, filter replacements, periodic tune ups and so on, a relief for every vehicle owner that likes to enjoy a carefree life without compromising on driving pleasure.
Secondly, we wanted to make the Mercedes SL/SLC more spirited than the original version. We wanted to combine its original elegance with state-of-the-art technology to offer the smoothest driving experience possible. An electric vehicle is able to driver smoother than an ICE-driven vehicle due to its torque characteristic. The torque is the rotating force that the motor can deliver, which is then transferred to the wheels. The motor torque always evolves as a function of the motor speed. Internal combustion engines can only deliver torque in a limited speed range of the motor, which is why a gearbox is needed to switch the transfer ratio from the motor to the wheels. This way, the ICE motor is able to provide torque at the wheels at all vehicle speeds. However, an electric motor can provide torque over the entire speed range of the vehicle without the need of an intermediary gearbox! Therefore there is no need for switching any gears and a very smooth driving experience is guaranteed. Another advantage is that electric motors have the ability to deliver the full motor torque at zero speed. Those interested in a high acceleration, will definitely not be disappointed, without too much effort we expect the Monceau eSL/eSLC to accelerate to 100 km/h faster than any ICE-powered SL/SLC has ever done.
Last but not least, environmental welfare is a hot topic these days and is one of the key reasons people are making the shift towards electric vehicles. However, in the complete production cycle of these vehicles produces a lot of CO2 is emitted as well. It has to be admitted that extracting precious materials for the battery is a CO2 intensive process as well, but over its lifetime, studies show that the electric vehicle indeed emits less CO2 than an ICE vehicle. Moreover, for our case, we save around 30% extra CO2 emissions because we entirely reuse the chassis of the original Mercedes! Combined with the fact that these classic cars were not built to drive very environmentally (NOx, SOx,…) , we really do make a difference in converting them to a greener counterpart!
In conclusion, the electric Mercedes was the perfect solution for what we wanted to do: building a care-free, iconic, spirited and clean car. Keeping the design, putting in the latest technology and optimizing the driving experience we believe we are making a perfect blend between old and new. We love driving and are already looking forward to our first test drive! Many challanges lie ahead, but we are motivated and eager to overcome them all!