In an indication of a serious shift in technique, Mercedes is planning to unveil the third era of its ever-so-popular CLA class that might be constructed across the Electrical First method. There might be solely 4 fashions out there and the EQ sub-brand won’t be used to establish the electrical model.
The occasions are altering and they’re altering quick. Audi lately confirmed it should most probably ditch the ‘e-tron’ sub-brand and as an alternative revert to a extra conventional mannequin naming with even numbers signifying electrical fashions whereas uneven numbers figuring out ICE automobiles.
Now Mercedes is seemingly on the point of ditch the thought of a sub-brand and make electrical automobiles the principle providing. Actually, the third era of the CLA class might be constructed as electric-first with only one delicate hybrid model provided along with battery-powered fashions.
Artist’s impression of the upcoming all-electric Mercedes CLA
Mercedes is present process massive modifications, the corporate is shifting away from its compact fashions and desires to focus extra on luxurious choices. The corporate will minimize the 7 present compact fashions down to simply 4 within the subsequent three years. Mercedes A-Class, the Chinese language A-Class sedan with its long-wheelbase model, and the Mercedes B-Class are all getting a chop.
The CLA will characterize the entry into the Mercedes model, it is going to be out there as a sedan and a Capturing Brake. The EQA crossover and EQB crossover might be initially joined by GLA and GLB fashions and ultimately will merge into only one mannequin, similar to the CLA.
Mercedes continues to be pursuing the twin technique, although. Its MB-EA platform goes into manufacturing in 2025 and can kind the bottom of the upcoming C-Class and GLC fashions. Whereas it’s designed for use completely with electrical powertrains, Mercedes will deploy an MMA platform alongside it. The brand new CLA will use this platform since it’s electric-first, but it surely helps combustion engines as nicely.
This was an early electrical A-class prototype – the CLA will preserve its entrance
As for the brand new CLA – the automotive may have an extended wheelbase than the present mannequin, and it’ll supply a considerable enchancment within the inside house. Each the entrance and the rear of the CLA will function the body-wide LED strip which has change into the signature of EQ fashions. Due to the 800V structure of the MMA platform, the battery will help as much as 350 kW quick DC charging which ought to end in 10 to 80% cost time of fewer than half-hour.
The 2025 CLA will use LFP batteries within the entry-level fashions, and the long-range model will get the brand new silicon-anode battery which Mercedes is already testing within the CLA sedan variations. In line with the corporate, this new expertise interprets to 12 kWh of vitality per 100 km (62 miles) – which means a 66.5 kWh battery (just like one discovered on Mercedes EQA) might ship over 550 km of vary on one cost.
The brand new CLA will come each in single and dual-motor variations and there might be a quick AMG model as nicely. The electrical motors are the second era everlasting magnet synchronous items recognized underneath inside code eATS2.0. Lastly, the silicon carbide inverters will guarantee quick energy supply and the two-speed gearbox will make certain all that energy is put all the way down to the highway with utmost effectivity.
THis is simply the artist’s impression of what the CLA might appear to be
Evidently as soon as the transition to electrical energy is full, sub-brands resembling EQ fashions might be built-in into the outdated methods of mannequin naming. What has began as a brand new electric-only branding is proving to be solely a brief shift, one which not one of the automakers might predict to final so brief. Clients are merely dropping curiosity in combustion engines and aren’t completely happy in regards to the complicated sub-brands. What they need are the manufacturers and fashions they’re used to, however with trendy, electrical powertrains.
