New Mercedes CLA (2025): it will offer electric and hybrid

From time to time, Mercedes releases some information on its future compact sedan, the CLA, which will be offered with a hybrid or 100% electric engine. The latter promises to compete with the benchmark in the segment, the Tesla Model 3, or also the Hyundai Ioniq 6 or the Volkswagen ID.7. But does she have sufficient arguments for this?

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A video featuring the company’s CEO, Ola Källenius, provides some answers… and leaves many gray areas.

An engine that comes from China

Let’s take a quick look at the design of the future CLA, which is scheduled to go on sale in 2025. It will still be a sedan-coupe with a dynamic appearance and the images published today give us a better overview of the production version of the CLA concept revealed in 2023.

Adding to the overall look, the star-shaped daytime running lights in the front headlights, which look like white versions of the E-Class’s rear LEDs, are revealed.

Above all, the model will inaugurate the new MMA multi-energy platform, which can receive 100% or hybrid propulsion and in which Mercedes firmly believes.

With the CLA, we are ushering in a new era at Mercedes-Benz. We will significantly improve every aspect of what our customers expect from a Mercedes in this segment. The modular platform gives us maximum flexibility: we can offer the CLA with a state-of-the-art electric powertrain as well as an electrified combustion engine. And our operating system, MB.OS, makes the CLA the smartest car we’ve ever built.

On the hybrid side, it will be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 48 V micro-hybridization. Above all, it will come from China, from Geely to be exact, which owns 10%. from Mercedes.

Electric and great autonomy

The video carefully avoids showing us too much and the dashboard will still wait before being revealed. However, Ola Källenius shows us the manufacturer’s new AI voice assistant technology. It comes with MB.OS software, which makes its debut on the CLA, and helps the driver control the various functions to avoid being distracted by the touchscreen menus… Whereas it would be so simple to hand over physical controls for essential functions.

“Every digital feature you can think of, you’ll probably find it in this car“, says Källenius proudly.

The CEO also announces that the secret to the good range figures lies in the electric CLA’s two-speed transmission. However, no real value is indicated regarding the battery or autonomy.

We already know, however, that the model will be based on an 800 volt electrical architecture allowing charging powers of 250 kW, enough to recover 400 km of autonomy in just 15 minutes, according to the manufacturer.

The concept is powered by a lightweight 238 hp electric motor and offers a range of more than 750 km. The production model will offer several levels of power and range, however.

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