As a hybrid luxury sedan for the moderately long daily commute, the Mercedes S-Class unveiled in Frankfurt looks like a tough act to follow. Positioned to school the BMW 7-series and Lexus LS 500h hybrids, the S560e offers very competitive power and performance profiles to buyers in the market for an eco-conscious family car that can deliver a jolt of epinephrine as needed.

From a strictly power-oriented perspective, the S560e edges out both the BMW 740e and the Lexus LS 500h, milking 488 horsepower out of a 3.0L bi-turbo V6 and a pair of electric motors to send the car to 60 in 5 seconds. The similarly efficient Lexus manages 5.4 seconds out of its twin motors and 3.5L V6, but only 354 horsepower total, which may make for less aggressive potential at highway speeds.

Thus far, Lexus has been quiet regarding all-electric range of their flagship hybrid sedan, but Mercedes filled in the curious at Frankfurt: their new flagship hybrid S-Class will be able to drive 25-30 miles on a full charge. That takes care of moderate commutes and weekend errands, and does it in style.

The S560e also features Eco Assist, an eminently usable luxury feature that lets drivers know when to conserve energy, and when to use the brakes to recycle kinetic energy; it also incorporates an accelerator that employs resistance to indicate the impending switch to ICE power, and determine best opportunities for coasting mode. The system also assists drivers in speed limit and traffic sign recognition, navigation, and distance from nearby cars, and can process information delivered by onboard radar and camera sensors.

The S560e is still quite a long way off; the car will be available in the U.S. in 2019. Mercedes-Benz will release availability and pricing information next year.