Sometimes, once I get to do a ridealong in a brand new automotive, prototype or in any other case, the automotive is definitely, , in movement. Right this moment although, sitting within the passenger seat of a camouflaged prototype of the upcoming third-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA, we’ve spent many of the drive route fully stopped. That’s not something to do with the automotive itself, however quite the situations. With head of the electrical drive system Timo Stegmaier on the wheel, we’re making an attempt to drive up the Timmelsjoch mountain move in Austria however hold having to cease because of complete whiteouts.
Usually that may suck, however it provides me much more time to speak to Stegmaier in regards to the new CLA, which is without doubt one of the most vital new fashions that Mercedes will launch this decade. Coming into its ultimate validation part of testing, the CLA is an idea automotive made actual, not solely as a result of its styling and specs intently adhere to the Idea CLA that debuted final fall, however as a result of its electrical motors, batteries, working system and different elements had been developed by real-world testing of the groundbreaking Imaginative and prescient EQXX.
Full disclosure: Mercedes-Benz flew me to Germany to see the opening of its new Manufaktur studio, after which we drove to Austria the place we spent one night time sleeping in fancy RVs and one other in a elaborate lodge so we might trip within the new CLA and check out a bunch of different Mercedes fashions within the snow.
Judging by the pair of calmly camouflaged CLA EV prototypes that Mercedes is driving us round in, the manufacturing automotive will look just about equivalent to the idea, simply with the sci-fi styling attributes barely toned down. It’s the sleekest CLA silhouette but with an exquisite greenhouse and improved proportions, and the idea’s star-shaped headlight and taillight motif has been preserved, fortunately. Count on an identical grille-less nostril therapy to the idea as nicely, hopefully with plenty of illuminated stars. Mercedes will proceed to supply the CLA in actual colours, too — beneath the purple camo wrap was shiny blue paint.
I’m not allowed to speak about what the CLA’s inside is like beneath the beltline, although it was coated up anyway, however I can say that the CLA has possibly probably the most expansive panoramic sunroof I’ve ever skilled, particularly in a small automotive. It didn’t appear to have an effect on headroom an excessive amount of, both. Already confirmed by Mercedes, the CLA can be its first manufacturing automotive with a pillar-to-pillar show like those within the EQXX and Idea CLA, and will probably be the manufacturing debut of the model new MB.OS working system. I may say that the CLA is very quiet inside, rivaling the S63 that I drove earlier within the morning. Yeah, electrical vehicles are simply inherently extra quiet inside than fuel ones, however it’s an evening and day distinction in comparison with the outgoing CLA. Absolutely a whole lot of the silent-ness has to do with the CLA’s aerodynamics and features just like the extremely flush B-pillar and aspect window glazing. Oh, and there can be a “sizeable” frunk.
It rides on the brand new Mercedes Modular Structure (MMA) platform, which is described as being “electrical first” — there can be internal-combustion fashions that pair a turbocharged engine with a 48-volt hybrid system, however the CLA was designed with the absolutely electrical model as the higher and extra vital mannequin. One of the vital thrilling elements of MMA is that the entry-level variations of the CLA can be rear-wheel drive with a single motor powering the rear axle, not like all earlier gas-powered base CLAs which were front-wheel drive. (The fuel CLAs will most likely nonetheless be FWD, although.) Developed and produced in-house by Mercedes, that rear motor will make 268 horsepower, 47 greater than the present CLA250’s turbo 4, and it has a two-speed transmission that’s an enormous boon for effectivity. A second 107-hp motor on the entrance axle is non-obligatory, described as a “increase” motor that engages when wanted both for higher efficiency or traction.
Regardless of the whiteout situations, slick ice patches and deep snowy ruts, the all-wheel-drive CLA I’m driving in by no means has a single subject with traction, making it across the corners higher than another 4Matic-equipped vehicles I’ve pushed at this program. Going uphill from a cease, Stagmaier is ready to speed up pretty shortly in a straight line, which is extra spectacular than it sounds. There are even a few factors the place we’ve inadvertently pushed right into a deep snowbank, and the CLA is ready to drive itself out with ease. There’s no faux spaceship-like EV noise, and even any actual noise from the motors. Simply silent, clean, straightforward acceleration. The regenerative braking system can also be overhauled, with full one-pedal driving and a brand new auto mode that makes use of route steering and different real-time information to regulate the quantity of regen on the fly. As a substitute of paddles, the regen is now chosen by pulling on the column-mounted gear shifter, which additionally now has the beginning/cease button on it.
Within the U.S. we’ll solely get an 85-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that’s 20 % extra vitality dense than the EQ lineup’s packs, however different markets could have the choice for a smaller LFP battery as nicely. Mercedes neatly determined to offer the MMA platform an 800-volt structure, avoiding the error made by different manufacturers of utilizing a 400-volt setup, so it’ll be capable of fast-charge at as much as 320 kW and achieve over 186 miles of vary in simply 10 minutes. (The idea touted 250 miles in quarter-hour, which ought to be achievable.) Below the rear-fender flap you’ll discover each a J1772 port for Degree 1 AC charging and an NACS port for DC fast-charging, and the automotive will include a CCS adapter. Additionally vital for wintery situations like these is a brand new warmth pump that makes use of waste vitality from the motors and battery to energy the local weather management in a extra environment friendly method.
Mercedes gained’t say simply how slippery the CLA is, however I’m anticipating one of many lowest drag coefficients within the trade, particularly given how the current-gen CLA already has a super-low 0.23 coefficient. Whereas U.S.-spec specs aren’t out there but, the CLA could have a variety of over 466 miles on the European WLTP, which might translate to at the least 400 miles from the EPA, dozens higher than its EQS sibling. Much more impressively, it’ll have a mean vitality consumption determine of 5.2 miles per kWh, handily beating the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Lucid Air. Pair that along with its speedy charging speeds and lengthy vary, and the CLA might be probably the most environment friendly EVs on sale by any measure.
That effectivity is already proving itself in the true world. On testing days like what I’m experiencing within the Alps, which is a massively vital check location for the model, all of the engineers will get collectively within the evenings to report on how their days went. Stegmaier says there have been many occasions the place considered one of his colleagues would say, “Right this moment, I couldn’t do my charging check as a result of the automotive is just too environment friendly even up and down the mountain.” Just lately, a camouflaged CLA prototype set an endurance report by touring 2309 miles in 24 hours on the Nardò oval circuit, longer than the gap between Los Angeles and Chicago and 181 miles longer than the Porsche Taycan’s previous report. The CLA was pushed at its 130-mph high pace, at which Stagmaier says the automotive is working at 93-percent effectivity, and it stopped to cost 40 occasions, taking about 10 minutes per charging session cease.
Taking the stops under consideration, the electrical CLA traveled at a mean pace of 96 mph. In that 24-hour report run, Mercedes’ engineers optimized the best size and variety of charging stops for the best time effectivity, which it says means extra to customers than vary or charging speeds actually do. The CLA solely traveled about 60 miles between stops, with the battery happening to 10 % and being charged again as much as round 55 %, as a result of this was extra time environment friendly than driving for longer however making longer charging stops. The manufacturing automotive’s navigation system will provide routes based mostly on the time effectivity, so that you’ll solely cease when and for so long as you actually need to. As an example, beginning with a full battery and making two ten-minute stops, a prototype CLA coated practically 800 miles.
Mercedes will formally reveal the brand new CLA within the spring, with the automotive set to go on sale later in 2025. It will likely be adopted by next-gen variations of the GLA and GLB crossovers, in addition to a brand new CLA Taking pictures Brake — Mercedes, I’m begging you to carry that to America — that can share its electric-first platform and method. With its mixture of excessive effectivity, model and know-how, the brand new CLA might be a breakthrough second for the model, and possibly even EVs as an entire. And hey, at the least it may well deal with a snowstorm, too.
