The upcoming CLA class will be the first model to showcase the new EV and 48-volt hybrid powertrains that will be introduced in future Mercedes-Benz models. The CLA will be part of an entry-level lineup that will include two SUVs, with all three riding on the automaker’s new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) as the automaker continues to work towards an all-electric future.
The core of that effort is the new generation Electric Drive Unit 2.0. Mercedes designed it in-house and it sits on the rear axle, producing 268 hp. The automaker will offer the CLA in the United States with 4Matic all-wheel drive, adding a 107-horsepower electric motor to the front axle. The compact powertrain design allows the EV to have a front trunk.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
The front motor will serve as a ‘boost’ drive and will be switched on when necessary. The CLA will achieve this with a Disconnect Unit that can disconnect the front motor from the axle, increasing the EV’s efficiency and range, in addition to the two-speed transmission (located on the main drive), allowing a speed of 210 kilometers per hour is possible. top speed.
The electric CLA sedan will have 800 volt technology and fast charging up to 320 kilowatts DC. While Mercedes didn’t provide official charging times, it did reference the Concept CLA class, which promised to add a range of 186 miles in 10 minutes. The ‘premium battery’ will have a usable energy of 85.0 kilowatt hours, with Mercedes aiming for the new powertrain to offer a range of up to 750 km on the WLTP cycle.
Mercedes understands that not everyone is ready to go all-electric, which is why it designed its MMA models for 48-volt hybrid engines. The CLA will arrive in the US with the newly developed M252 1.5-liter four-cylinder Miller cycle engine from its new Family of Modular Engines (FAME) range.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
It has a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, called the 8F-eDCT, with an integrated 27 hp electric motor and an inverter that draws power from a 1.3 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. Unlike the EV, the hybrid powertrain spins the front wheels, producing 188 horsepower at launch. It will be available with 4Matic AWD.
Mercedes did not give any indication about the starting price of the CLA. It should go on sale sometime next year, and the current four-door CLA Coupe starts at $45,550.