Mercedes Benz already offers a line of electric cars, including a top-of-the-line EQS that is almost equivalent to the gas-powered S-Class. One can already see both Sedan and SUV versions of the EQS on Sri Lankan roads, with the petrol S-Class version coming soon with the lifting of the import ban.
Surprisingly, Mercedes has not chosen the EQS to showcase its next generation of electric cars. That burden has fallen to the “entry-level” CLA sedan, with an all-new electric version hitting showrooms in a few months.
The new CLA is the first of an entirely new generation of Mercedes vehicles. Its main competitor is the Tesla Model 3 (also unofficially available in Sri Lanka). But unlike the Model 3, there will eventually be petrol and hybrid versions of the new CLA based on the same MMA platform. In fact, following the electric CLA, Mercedes will launch a hybrid version that will be available in All Wheel Drive (AWD) and Front Wheel Drive (FWD).
Emphasis on efficiency
The new CLA owes its design and technology to the EQXX, a concept car introduced by Mercedes in 2022 with an emphasis on efficiency – more than 1,600 Km on a single charge. This is still not possible with current technology, but cars with that kind of range will appear in around 2-3 years thanks to solid state batteries and other new technologies. Mercedes engineers spent three years leveraging what they learned from the EQXX to develop the revamped CLA.
The new CLA, described by Mercedes as “the compact sedan for the electric age” and “an unmistakable statement of iconic luxury” will have two battery options for the global market, a 58.4 kWh battery and a larger 85.5 kWh one. The electric CLA will be available in two versions: 250+ and 350 4MATIC. The larger battery comes with an estimated range of nearly 800 km based on WLTP standards. Only a few other Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) can match that range right now.
It is based on an 800V system which can add over 300 Km of range in as little as 10 minutes. Mercedes says DC fast charging speeds reach up to 320 kW. The company says this incredible performance stems from its Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) batteries which have up to 20 percent higher energy density compared to the previous version. It is also the first Mercedes electric to offer a two-speed transmission. Moreover, the new CLA also gets a unique brake-by-wire setup called “One Box” that calculates the right amount of braking power and recuperation to maximise efficiency. Most of the braking will be handled by the regeneration system under normal conditions. The new system claims to recuperate up to 200 kW of power. This BEV will come in FWD and AWD trims, with a 268-hp drive unit on the rear axle and a 107-hp drive unit on the front in the AWD version. The front motor can be disengaged automatically when it is not needed to help increase efficiency.
Mercedes has also fine-tuned the design elements for maximum efficiency, but still within acceptable limits as some criticised the EQS Sedan for being too aerodynamic at the expense of rear seat occupants. With a drag coefficient as low as 0.21, the new CLA EV is just ahead of the Tesla Model 3 at 0.22.
Exterior and interior design
In terms of the exterior, the new CLA sports a reinterpreted grille with the three-pointed Mercedes star which can be fully illuminated. The model features a giant illuminated grille with 142 individually lit LED stars that stretch across the front fascia. The grille will offer different light animations and adapts to different driving scenarios, like giving different illuminations to alert passersby or other vehicles of your intentions. The optional Multibeam LED headlights will also take the form of a star, and there is a LED band that connects the lights.
Inside, there is a 10.25″ driver display, 14″ infotainment display, and an optional 14″ passenger display. These are three separate displays, unlike the 56-inch seamless “hyperscreen” in the EQS. The “floating” centre console is split into two levels and has integrated cupholders and optional wireless smartphone charging.
New infotainment system
The new CLA is also powered by the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), “making it the most intelligent Mercedes-Benz ever.” It is the first infotainment system with integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) from both Microsoft and Google. In-built navigation is one of the first based on Google Cloud’s new Automotive AI Agent. In conjunction with Mercedes-Benz Navigation, the system plans the fastest route for a given journey, including charging stops, while considering other factors like the weather, road constructions and traffic. Falling under the MB-Drive umbrella, the car is equipped with eight cameras, five radar sensors, twelve ultrasonic sensors, and even a “water-cooled” computer.
Powered by Google Gemini, the CLA includes a Virtual Assistant that can answer most questions with a combination of ChatGPT 4.0 and Microsoft Bing search. You can activate it by simply saying, “Hey, Mercedes.”
The CLA offers a unique soundscape system that allows the occupants to cater their driving experience to their tastes. From an app on the screen, the occupants can choose from Silver Waves, Vivid Flux, Serene Breeze, Fractal Fusion, Granular Fuzz, and Roaring Pulse soundscapes that alter startup, shutdown, and welcome sounds of the car, as well as locking and unlocking.
EV first
As Mercedes-Benz Group CEO Ola Källenius said during the company’s Tech Day in Stuttgart, Germany, last month, “The clock starts again” on the company’s BEV plans. And that starts with a newly developed MMA platform that will underpin internal combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles going forward.
“We are in an era where we are going towards electrification, but in the year 2025 obviously, we are not 100 percent electrified. So for many years to come we will have a duality,” Källenius said.
With the BEV CLA, Mercedes has shunned the traditional method of introducing a new platform as an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle and then changing the design to suit a BEV platform. Instead, Mercedes is putting the “EV first,” and then later as an ICE with 48V “mild hybrid” next year.
The new platform makes both the hybrid and EV vehicles larger than the previous generation. The wheelbase is 6.1 cm longer to accommodate the battery pack and taller by 2.8 cm, giving rear passengers slightly more legroom and height. Källenius, who is 6’4” admitted that the old CLA was a tight fit for rear passengers, but he was able to slide into the new CLA with ease. “You are buying what feels like a sports car, but at the same time you have a fully functional three-box sedan,” he told the media.
