Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Previews Small EV With Big Dreams
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is getting a mid-cycle update for 2024, but here we have a very different car that goes by the same name. More specifically: the Tesla Model 3 fighter that we were promised last year.
At IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, the German automaker today introduced a new compact electric car concept that foreshadows a range of zero-emission models based on the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA).
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“The Concept CLA Class is the forerunner for an entirely new all-electric segment of entry-level vehicles at Mercedes-Benz. The range will comprise a total of four new models—a four-door coupé, a shooting brake and two stunning SUVs—each with significantly elevated product substance,” Mercedes-Benz AG CEO Ola Källenius said. “This new model family is inspired by a generation of car buyers who want that unmistakable Mercedes-Benz feel, with more features, even greater comfort and safety and the most advanced technology.”
How many of the four new models Källenius talked about will actually land in Canada? We’ll see. But the company is making pretty bold claims, with a next-generation electric drive system said to deliver more than 750 km of range—at least based on the WLTP test cycle, which we all know is more optimistic than Canada’s.
Remarkable Efficiency
The electric CLA is helped by an extremely aerodynamic silhouette and various techniques borrowed from another concept, the record-breaking VISION EQXX. Its ultra-high energy efficiency of up to 93 percent from battery to wheel in long-distance driving is thanks to meticulous minimisation of losses throughout the drive system. The result is outstanding energy consumption of around 12 kWh/100 km, according to Mercedes-Benz.
The 800V architecture enables fast charging up to 250 kW, delivering up to 400 km (WLTP) of range in 15 minutes. And when connected to a compatible bidirectional DC charging station, the vehicle becomes an energy storage device that could, for instance, store solar power for use later. Most importantly, it can also serve as an electricity supply, either Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) or Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G).
Another notable aspect of the Concept CLA is the use of cutting-edge electronics and numerous sustainable materials. The list includes almost CO2-free steel, CO2-reduced aluminium, sustainably produced and processed leather upholstery, as well as trim made from paper and bamboo.
New Design, New Experience
As for styling, designers aimed to redefine the face of entry-level Mercedes-Benz cars, in part with creative use of LED illumination and animation that reproduce the brand’s three-pointed star most of the time. The sporty forward lean of the distinctive shark nose from the 50s and 60s pairs with a new signature graphic for the electric age.
Inside is the so-called Superscreen (shared with the new 2024 E-Class), which is powered by a new Mercedes-Benz operating system (MBOS) that “elevates customer experience with a new level of personalisation, safety, convenience and automated driving.”
The Concept CLA marks the beginning of a major step in the German automaker’s “Ambition 2039” plan, which calls for net carbon neutrality along the entire value chain in its fleet of new vehicles before the next decade is over.