Mercedes is having a hard time in the electric car market: the luxury models EQE and EQS clearly do not meet the tastes of the target group. This also applies to the less expensive EQA and EQB, which overshadow comparable models with combustion engines. Last year at the IAA in Munich, Mercedes showed how the brand envisioned the relaunch of its e-strategy. The next CLA will be only the beginning; Further branches will run on the same basis. The main elements are a voltage level of 800 volts and a new operating system.
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charging power increased
“We want to fulfill or exceed the promise made last autumn at the premiere of the study at the IAA in Munich,” promises Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius. This primarily refers to the drive and its power supply. The most economical CLA should have a maximum consumption at WLTP of 12 kWh/100 km and a range of up to 750 km. A sticking point of Mercedes’ previous small electric cars was charging performance. Within the wide window the charging curve is quite flat, but charging power over 100 kW is not possible. It’s hard to advertise this, even though maximum charging power plays a small role in many driving profiles.
With a voltage level of 800 volts, there is a potential for a significant increase in charging performance. This results from the equation:
Power (Watts) = Voltage (Volts) × Current (Amps)
Mercedes has not yet revealed how much charging power to expect. The target is to recharge up to 400 kilometers of electricity in 15 minutes. At least two drives are planned: a rear-wheel drive car and an all-wheel drive car with an additional electric motor on the front axle. A two-speed gearbox is also planned. It is unknown whether it will come in both versions or not. From 2026, the CLA will also be available with a mild hybrid petrol engine that drives the front wheels. This engine has been developed in Germany and manufactured in China by Geely.
Competition for C-Class
A short test in a pre-production model provides first impressions. The seats are comfortable and there is plenty of space in the front and rear. There is a large glass roof as standard, which requires no mechanical shading and cannot be opened. At 4.75 meters in length, it is a few centimeters longer than its predecessor and is similar in dimensions to the current C-Class, which is likely to be revised next year.
Operating System MB.OS
The CLA and its offshoots will be the first Mercedes models to receive the MB.OS operating system. Mercedes continues to rely on powerful hardware in the car, but is also expanding cloud connections. With the exception of the basic model, all versions will feature a display front spanning the full width of the cockpit. Undoubtedly the proportion of AI will increase. An app store with a wide selection is integrated, as is ChatGPT. With the MBUX virtual assistant, Mercedes promises “an improved connection between car and driver through natural, intuitive interactions and proactive support.” My colleague Detlef was not entirely convinced by the first generation of the “Intelligent Interior Assistant” in his S-Class. Perhaps a successor will do this work.
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The official presentation of the new CLA is scheduled for 2025. He won’t be alone for long. Successors to the GLA, GLB and CLA Shooting Brake should also be introduced soon on this basis. We expect all derivatives to be on the market by the end of 2026. After all, Mercedes has no time to lose. There has been no clear announcement yet about prices, but there is a statement that it does not want to participate in the dumping of some competitors. Mercedes will try to impose premium prices. To achieve this the manufacturer will have to deliver more in the second attempt than the first. The first impression is: it might work.
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