Mercedes launched a glance on the powertrain expertise of its upcoming electrical CLA, and it contains tons of neat EV tech and a few attention-grabbing choices for battery expertise and what appears to be probably the most versatile charging system we’ve seen but.
We’ve already discovered a good quantity in regards to the CLA after first seeing the idea final yr, and Mercedes launched just a few new specifics immediately relating to its powertrain.
In line with earlier data we knew, the CLA is concentrating on extraordinarily excessive effectivity of 12kWh/100km, which interprets to simply 193Wh/mi or 5.2mi/kWh. That’s extra environment friendly than anything on the highway immediately – with Lucid’s Air Pure reaching 200Wh/mi, or 5mi/kWh. And simply lower than what Tesla is claiming the Cybercab will likely be able to, at 5.5kWh/mi.
That is due to Mercedes’ new compact EDU 2.0 electrical motor, which is a part of its new Mercedes Modular Structure (MMA) which can underpin its upcoming electrical automobiles. The drive motor will likely be 200kW on the rear axle, although all-wheel drive fashions will likely be accessible with a further 80kW unit on the entrance axle. A two-speed transmission will guarantee effectivity at excessive speeds and low.
For extra effectivity in chilly climate, the CLA will use an air-to-air warmth pump which is ready to seize warmth from the motor, battery, and ambient air to warmth the cabin. Whereas batteries and motors don’t make practically as a lot waste warmth as inefficient ICE engines, it’s nonetheless good to have the ability to channel warmth to wherever you want it.
Mercedes says that the CLA will come geared up with a alternative of two totally different batteries, every with totally different chemistries.
The bigger 85kWh mannequin will likely be able to an unnecessarily-high 750km (466mi) of WLTP vary – although WLTP numbers are all the time increased than EPA numbers, so count on one thing within the high-300s in EPA parlance. This battery will add silicon oxide to the anode for increased vitality density, a expertise that has been pioneered by Sila Nanotechnologies, an organization which Mercedes is a lead investor in.
The smaller battery will likely be 58kWh, and can use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. LFP is a less expensive however decrease vitality density expertise, with increased long-term sturdiness and easier sourcing of minerals (it makes use of no cobalt, whereas Mercedes says cobalt has been “decreased” within the bigger batteries). Nevertheless, LFP typically has slower quick charging and chilly climate efficiency.
On charging: the “premium” battery can have an 800V configuration able to as much as 320kW charging speeds. Mercedes says this will add 300km (186mi) of vary in 10 minutes, and in addition says that the automotive can have a broad charging curve, which implies you’ll get excessive cost charges even when the battery isn’t near empty. It didn’t specify if the smaller LFP battery can have the identical cost fee.
This excessive charging fee allowed Mercedes to set a document touring 3,717km (2,309mi) in 24 hours on the Nardo check monitor in Italy in a pre-production CLA. That’s a median journey fee of 96mph – together with time spent charging.
We additionally discovered one thing about Mercedes’ NACS adoption plans. Whereas nearly everybody has dedicated to transitioning vehicles to NACS, it has taken longer than anticipated (largely as a consequence of Tesla’s chaotic CEO firing the entire supercharger group for little cause), and few vehicles have native NACS inlets but. Some manufacturers can already cost at Superchargers with adapters, however Mercedes remains to be on Tesla’s “coming quickly” web page.
On account of delays in onbaording automakers, some appear to have pulled again on their plans, pushing NACS ports to later mannequin years. However Mercedes has a brand new and distinctive resolution – it would simply put each CCS and NACS ports on the CLA, proper on high of one another.
Mercedes says “sooner or later, new entry-level fashions will likely be able to bidirectional charging,” however isn’t clear whether or not this mannequin will likely be able to that.
Electrek’s Take
Whereas that is in need of a full launch of specs, we’re excited by what we see right here. Mercedes appears to substantiate that they’re assembly the effectivity objectives they set out, and we like that they’re providing a wide range of choices and benefiting from some newer EV tech like 800V charging infrastructure.
The inclusion of each NACS and CCS may be very attention-grabbing, once more providing choices to house owners through the transition. That appears to be the large message from Mercedes right here – we’re not going to simply decide one software, we’re going to make use of all of them.
However pricing and availability are clearly massive questions, as is design.
The idea appears implausible, however ideas all the time change on their approach into manufacturing. The form of the camouflaged check automobile may be very totally different – however appears to have some shrouding on the back and front to cover its form, so we’ll have to attend till we see this factor unveiled for extra.
And as for pricing – Mercedes says the CLA will likely be an “entry-level” automotive, however who is aware of what meaning anymore as of late. The bottom ICE CLA begins at round $44k at the moment, so lets see if they’ll hit that quantity.
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