Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) officially launched this locally-assembled (CKD) high specification Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid in Malaysia in late 2014 for RM328,888. It was an instant sales hit and the early demand was very encouraging. In fact we had a few friends who took ownership and were very happy in the early years of ownership (when the factory warranty was running).
Assembled at their Pekan plant in Pahang, it made headlines as the first-ever commercial diesel-hybrid vehicle sold in the country.
Powered by a 2.1-liter twin-turbo diesel 4-cylinder engine combined with a 20kW electric motor it delivered a modest 204 hp and an impressive 500 Nm of torque. It achieved 0-100 km/h in 7.1 seconds.
Fast forward to today and this well equipped luxurious Mercedes sedan sells for less than RM25,000 in the used market because of just one issue …… its replacement hybrid battery cost which is as high as a full electric vehicle battery cost.
High battery cost has been the down fall of many luxury European hybrids for the past decade or so and this is why our used car market is filled with them at very reasonable asking prices.
Yes, the European vehicle hybrid battery can cost as high as RM68k and for this Benz it is from RM50,000 to replace a brand new unit.
Replacing a Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTEC Hybrid battery in Malaysia typically costs between RM5,000 and RM50,000, depending on whether you opt for reconditioned battery cells, aftermarket options or a brand-new official unit from an authorized Mercedes-Benz service center.
The replacement costs break down as follows. With an official Authorized Dealer (New) is it approximately RM50,000 for the battery itself (excluding labor and fluids).
If you visit a specialised Hybrid Workshop is it priced from RM4,000 to RM15,000. Many independent hybrid specialist mechanics can repair or replace individual failing Lithium-Ion cylinder cells rather than using a full battery pack replacement.
Meanwhile, did you know that Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) introduced an extended warranty program (costing roughly RM2,688) for the BlueTEC Hybrid, which provided up to 8 years or 180,000km of coverage but that has now lapsed as these cars are now 11 years old.
Because this model was primarily launched in Malaysia in 2015, all BlueTech hybrids have already aged past this extended warranty period.
Given that the current resale value of a used W212 E300 BlueTEC is so low (just like with the Audi A6 Hybrid) it is highly recommended to seek out established, independent Mercedes-Benz or hybrid specialists in the Klang Valley to diagnose and recondition the battery pack (swapping out individual bad cells) to save heavily on maintenance costs.
If you currently own a E300 Bluetech Hybrid, best to check automotive community groups like the Mercedes E-Class Hybrid Malaysia Group for trusted independent mechanics.
