Mercedes says the CLA was designed from the beginning to be an electric vehicle. The all-electric CLA with EQ Technology goes on sale first, and we know the most about it so far. It’s an all-electric design that comes with both a J1772 charging port for Level 2 charging and a NACS port for DC fast charging.
The CLA 250+ with EQ Technology is a rear-wheel drive version with 268 horsepower that the automaker says can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The all-wheel-drive CLA 350 4Matic with EQ Technology gets a second electric motor and is good for 349 horsepower and a 4.8-second 0-to-60-mph sprint.
Mercedes says that the CLA 250+ will get up to 492 miles on a charge and the CLA 350 4Matic will get up to 479. But those numbers come from an optimistic range test protocol that’s not used in the U.S. We expect the real-world range to be closer to 350 miles, which is still extremely impressive. The CLA is built on an 800-volt architecture, which allows for a seriously quick 320 kW maximum DC fast-charging rate. On paper, it could be among the fastest-charging EVs on the market.
Every electric CLA gets an 85-kWh lithium-ion battery and bidirectional charging capabilities. In other words, it can provide a battery backup for your house when the power goes out.
One cool feature: Drivers will be able to reserve a spot ahead of time at Mercedes-operated EV charging stations. We can see this reservation concept rolling out across other EV charging networks. MB.OS can also plan charging stops along a navigation route using Google Maps.
The hybrid CLA goes on sale later. It has a new 48-volt hybrid setup that combines a 1.3-kWh battery, an electric motor, a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and regenerative braking for improved fuel efficiency and electric-only driving at city speeds. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and electric motor are integrated into a single unit, which Mercedes calls eDCT. More information about the hybrid—such as total system horsepower and fuel economy numbers—will be available closer to when it goes on sale.
