All-New Mercedes-Benz CLA Will Be A Technological Tour De Force

Mercedes-Benz intends to become a fully electric automaker someday, and the next CLA will bring that objective a little closer. To be available as both an EV and a hybrid, the next CLA will be built atop the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), introducing 800V technology to a road-going Mercedes for the first time. Like the Vision EQXX concept, the new CLA uses a highly efficient silicon carbide inverter for its electric motors, developed entirely in-house by Mercedes engineers, but there are several other impressive features to the new architecture, which in hybrid form will feature a brand new engine and gearbox, too.

Power Dense And Efficient

The standard setup will see a single permanently excited synchronous machine motor fitted on the rear axle. This 200 kW/268-horsepower motor is connected to a rear-mounted two-speed transmission, much like the Porsche Tacyan. On 4MATIC models, a second 80 kW/107-hp motor is added to the front axle and can be instantly decupled to reduce front axle efficiency losses by 90%, but there will still be space for a frunk. This front motor will only be active when traction is lost or the driver demands maximum power output. In 1st gear, the transmission has a ratio of 11:1, with second gear at 5:1.

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This enables a top speed of 130 mph (comparable with the current CLA), and the transmission can adjust shift points based on mode and demand to maximize efficiency or performance as needed. Mercedes claims a battery-to-wheel efficiency rate of 93% on long trips. Part of this is thanks to a predictive energy management system that takes into account road conditions and traffic, a more efficient heat pump, and a regenerative system that, while adjustable, is designed to handle the bulk of the braking.

Range And Charging

Mercedes has implemented several innovations to make this potentially the most livable EV in its class, including a more efficient heat pump, with the Concept CLA Class capable of an estimated range of 466 miles on the WLTP cycle. EPA figures are typically lower, but not by very much. The navigation system can plan the fastest and most convenient route, with the ECO Assistant driving mode capable of controlling energy consumption by preparing for upcoming roundabouts, bends, junctions, hill gradients, and speed limits. In addition, the Electric Intelligence system from the EQS and EQE appears here, helping direct drivers to the best charging stations based on route, available outlets, and payment functions. In addition, “the system schedules stops to optimize the overall journey time,” says Mercedes, adding that “sometimes, two shorter, higher-capacity charging sessions may be preferable to a single longer stop.”

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Ideally, you’d want to find a DC fast charger, which can enable speeds of up to 320 kW. In the concept, a 10-minute charge yields up to 186 miles. Mercedes claims that the 85-kWh (usable) battery’s consumption is a record 5.2 miles/kWh and that this is as momentous for EVs as a 1.0-liter engine is for combustion efficiency. For comparison, the 2025 Lucid Air Pure, the current production EV benchmark, does 5 miles/kWh. Mercedes also touts less raw material use thanks to the addition of silicon oxide to the graphite anodes, increasing gravimetric density by up to 20%. The automaker also promises “comprehensive precautions to prevent thermal runaway,” which has explosively impacted two Mercedes EVs in Britain and Korea this year. Bi-directional charging will also come to the CLA, so Mercedes is throwing everything at this one.

The Hybrid

Part of the new Family of Modular Engines (FAME), a new 1.5-liter Miller cycle four-cylinder engine (dubbed M252) will be transversely mounted in the car and connected to a 48V hybrid powertrain with its 1.3-kWh battery. This will feature an electric motor with up to 29 kW/27 hp of drive power integrated with an inverter and combined with a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission called 8F-eDCT. Total combined output for the US model will be 188 hp, and the hybrid will arrive shortly after the EV models, although a date for that is yet to be confirmed. Mercedes has put a lot of effort into the refinement of this hybrid, choosing four cylinders instead of three for superior NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) qualities. The automaker also says that the hybrid can maintain electric coasting at speeds of up to 62 mph and that the start/stop system’s operation is nearly imperceptible.

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Interestingly, America won’t be getting the new Audi S5 in mild-hybrid form because US buyers are uncomfortable with the engine switching off at freeway speeds and because the stop/start system and the switchover between combustion and EV power are too jerky. Similarly, VW is no longer selling DCTs in US-market SUVs because buyers find them too sharp. Hopefully, Mercedes has found a way of addressing concerns like these. With more information steadily being made available, we expect a reveal before the end of this year, potentially at the LA Auto Show, otherwise early in 2025.