The Next Mercedes-Benz CLA Will Have Impressive New EV Tech

The upcoming CLA Class will be the first model to showcase the new EV and 48-volt hybrid powertrains coming to future Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The CLA will be part of an entry-level onslaught 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 toward a fully electric future.

At the heart of that effort is its new-generation Electric Drive Unit 2.0. Mercedes designed it in-house, and it sits on the rear axle, making 268 horsepower. The automaker will offer the CLA in the United States with 4Matic all-wheel drive, adding a 107-hp electric motor to the front axle. The powertrain’s compact design will allow the EV to feature a front trunk.

The front motor will serve as a “boost” drive, engaging when needed. The CLA will accomplish this with a Disconnect Unit that can decouple the front motor from the axle, increasing the EV’s efficiency and range alongside the two-speed transmission (that’s on the main drive unit), allowing for a 130-mile-per-hour top speed. 

The electric CLA sedan will feature 800-volt technology and up to 320-kilowatt DC fast charging. While Mercedes did not provide official recharge times, it did reference the Concept CLA Class that promised to add 186 miles of range in 10 minutes. The “premium battery” will have a usable 85.0 kilowatt-hours of energy, with Mercedes aiming for the new powertrain to offer up to 466 miles of range on the WLTP cycle.

Mercedes understands that not everyone is ready to go fully electric, so it designed its MMA models to accommodate 48-volt hybrid engines. The CLA will arrive in the US with the automaker’s newly developed M252 1.5-liter four-cylinder Miller-cycle engine from its new Family of Modular Engines (FAME) lineup.

It has a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, designated the 8F-eDCT, with an integrated 27-hp electric motor and inverter that draws power from a 1.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. Unlike the EV, the hybrid powertrain will spin the front wheels, making 188 hp at launch. It’ll be available with 4Matic AWD.

Mercedes did not offer any indication as to the CLA’s starting price. It’s supposed to go on sale sometime next year, and the current four-door CLA Coupe starts at $45,550.