The Mercedes CLA EV Aims To ‘Raise The Bar’

The entry-level EV will take a page from the Porsche Taycan’s book to boost efficiency. It also has star-shaped headlights.

• The upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA will be offered as an EV and as a hybrid.
• The EV will have a dual-speed transmission, just like the Porsche Macan.
• That should help the CLA achieve a higher efficiency at highway speeds.

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA is just around the corner, with a scheduled debut next year. It’s designed to be an electric vehicle first, but it will also be available with a 48-volt hybrid powertrain–you know, just in case the demand for the EV isn't strong enough.

The new CLA will also likely be the most affordable battery-powered car in Mercedes-Benz’s lineup, but as we just learned, the compact EV will take a page from the big boys’ book of performance and efficiency.

While we still don’t know specifics about the car’s powertrain, Mercedes-Benz said the upcoming CLA EV will have an electric powertrain that was developed in-house. It'll have a two-speed transmission, just like the blisteringly fast Porsche Taycan.

More Mercedes-Benz EVs

• Mercedes-Benz Is Getting Into EV Battery Recycling
• Mercedes-Benz EQE And EQS Will Come With Larger Batteries In 2025
• Mercedes Teases Thinly Veiled 2026 CLA Plug-In Sedan
• Used Mercedes-Benz EQBs Are Now Below $30,000

Usually, EVs have a single-gear transmission. Electric motors make their maximum torque from 0 rpm and can run at ultra-high speeds, so most are capable of both around-town driving and highway cruising without a multi-speed transmission. But adding a second gear for high-speed operation is a welcome addition and will likely boost the car’s efficiency. Sure, it will also increase complexity and the likelihood of something going wrong, but at the same time, combustion cars have had multi-speed transmissions for decades and companies have gotten pretty good at building them.

Inspired by the Concept CLA-Class that had an impressive estimated range of 466 miles, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA will also be the company’s first vehicle to integrate MB.OS, the automaker’s latest and greatest infotainment system with a baked-in AI-powered virtual assistant.

“With the CLA, we are ushering in a new era at Mercedes‑Benz. We will substantially elevate every aspect of what our customers can expect from a Mercedes in this segment,” Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said in the release. “The modular platform allows for maximum flexibility: We can offer the CLA in both a state-of-the-art electric drivetrain version and a hybrid electrified combustion engine version. And our operating system, MB.OS, will make it the most intelligent car we’ve ever built.”

Those are some big claims from a company that’s known to deliver some of the most luxurious cars on the market. That said, Mercedes-Benz’s EVs haven’t been doing so great in this U.S. this year, so the company needs a win with a more affordable model. The CLA might just be that win.