New Mercedes-Benz CLA Will Be The First EV To Debut On March 13
According to the brand, the Mercedes-Benz CLA will make its production-spec world debut on March 13. In September 2023, the redesigned CLA made its debut at the Munich Motor Show in concept form. The CLA prototype even appeared at the Auto Expo 2025 in India earlier this year. The 2017 CLA will be the first in a brand-new Mercedes-Benz entry-level luxury automobile lineup based on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA).
The CLA previews an entirely new exterior and interior design philosophy, since Mercedes had previously stated that the production version would only be “lightly altered” over the concept. New wraparound LED headlights with a three-pointed star-shaped LED daytime running lamp trademark, a full-width light bar on top of the grille, and a new take on the Mercedes-Benz grille have all been alluded to by camouflaged test mules of the CLA.
In the meantime, the small sedan’s rear end imitates the front end thanks to an LED light bar that connects the tail lamps and features a star-shaped LED trademark. Like the original CLA, the new model will have a coupe-like roofline, flared haunches, and a low-slung stance.
Although we haven’t seen the interior of the production-spec CLA, the concept showed off a Supercreen configuration with three interconnected screens. According to the brand, this would also apply to the production version. The new MB.OS operating system will make its premiere at the CLA, which is an intriguing development. An AI-powered virtual assistant is another feature of the new chip-to-cloud architecture.
Read Also: Volkswagen’s New EV-ID Will Go On Sale In Europe In 2027.
The new CLA will include a large glass roof, over-the-air update compatibility, and Level-2 semi-autonomous driving with LiDAR sensors.
Entry-level models of the compact car will have a rear electric motor and a two-speed transmission, as the new CLA was designed to be an EV-first vehicle. An extra single-speed electric motor on the front axle will be a feature of higher-spec 4Matic versions. With a powertrain based on the Vision EQXX concept, Mercedes refers to the new CLA as “the one-liter car of the electric age.”
The battery and electrical architecture will run at 800V, and it can be charged at up to 320kW. This was claimed to enable the CLA to gain 300km of range in just 10 minutes. Mercedes claims an efficiency of 12kWh/100km for the CLA and an overall range of around 750km on a single charger. Later on, the CLA will also benefit from a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine that will be offered in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations.
