Two and a half years ago it became known that the range of junior Mercedes-Benz models would be reduced. The hatchback and sedan of the A-class, as well as the compact van of the B-class will be cut: their production will cease in 2025. The base model in the new reduced family will be the Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan. It is almost ready, and now the company has shared the first details.
The new CLA will be built on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, which is designed for both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles. And the main focus is on battery versions. In the basic version, such a CLA will have a new Electric Drive Unit 2.0 module on the rear axle. It was developed in-house and includes an electric motor with a capacity of 272 hp, a two-stage gearbox and an inverter unit. An all-wheel drive version 4Matic is also provided, which has an additional electric motor on the front axle with a capacity of 109 hp. Due to the compactness of this unit, it was possible to allocate space for the front trunk.
The front electric motor will be connected only when necessary to save the traction battery charge. The maximum speed of the electric vehicle reaches 210 km/h. The entire electrical system operates at 800 volts and supports fast charging with a power of up to 320 kW. The 85 kWh battery will provide a range of up to 750. And to replenish the charge for a range of 300 km, it will take only 10 minutes.
Also announced is a hybrid Mercedes-Benz CLA. It will have a new four-cylinder 1.5 turbo engine with the index M252. This engine will be the first of the new FAME (Family of Modular Engines) family. It works in tandem with an eight-speed preselective “robot” 8F-eDCT, which has a 48-volt electric motor with a capacity of 27 hp. The lithium-ion battery with a capacity of only 1.3 kW h is located under the driver's seat. The total power of the power plant is 190 hp, versions with front or all-wheel drive will be offered (in the second case, the 4Matic transmission implies the usual clutch for connecting the rear axle).
The new generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan will be presented in the coming months, and production will begin next year. In addition to the sedan, the family on the MMA platform will include two more crossovers (the successors of the GLA and GLB models), which will have similar technology.