2025 Mercedes CLA brings nearly 500 miles of range
Mercedes-Benz has revealed the new CLA EV promising industry-beating range and efficiency.
The all-new version of Mercedes’ compact executive saloon offers a staggering 492-mile range and efficiency of up to 5.09m/kWh, putting it ahead of any other model currently on sale.
The next closest car in terms of range is Mercedes’ own EQS saloon. That offers up to 481 miles from its 118kWh battery but costs nearly £120,000. The 2025 Mercedes CLA, in contrast, uses an 85kWh battery and is expected to start in the region of £45,000-£50,000 to compete with the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3.
The new CLA’s efficiency in range is partly down to its slippery aerodynamic shape and partly to advances in Mercedes’ electric powertrains include a 20% jump in battery energy density and a new two-speed transmission.
Mercedes says this Porsche Taycan-style ‘gearbox’ allows for rapid acceleration from standstill and a high towing capacity, as well as strong efficiency and power delivery at high speeds.
At launch, the Mercedes CLA will come with a choice of two motors. The entry-level CLA 250+ will use a 268bhp rear-mounted motor and will offer the new industry-leading range and efficiency. Above that, the CLA 350+ will add a front motor for all-wheel drive and a total of 349bhp while still returning 4.97m/kWh. The less powerful model will complete the 0-62mph run in 6.7 seconds, while the 350+ will manage it in just 4.9 seconds.
The new CLA is built on 800V architecture, which Mercedes says makes recharging ‘almost as quick as refuelling’. That’s pushing it slightly but with 320kW charging as standard, the CLA 250+ can add 200 miles of range in 10 minutes.
Aiding the efficiency is the super-slippery body shape of the new CLA. After negative feedback on the looks for the EQE and EQS, Mercedes has gone for a slightly more familiar look for the CLA, evolving the previous model’s design while prioritising aerodynamics to offer an impressive drag coefficient of 0.21. The most dramatic differences are at the front where a smooth grille features the traditional Mercedes star amid a sea of 142 individually lit and animated stars. The three-pointed motif is carried into the daytime running lights as well.
Inside, Mercedes says it worked to reduce the cabin to the essentials, with a focus on a few high-tech elements. Chief among these is the all-new Superscreen, which stretches the full width of the dashboard. A development of the EQS’s Hyperscreen, it consists of a
10.25-inch driver display, a14-inch central touchscreen and an additional 14-inch display for the front passenger.
It also houses a whole new in-house developed operating system which Mercedes says allows new levels of connectivity that will keep the car updated throughout its life. The system also integrates AI from Google and Microsoft to support a new voice controlled ‘virtual assistant’, and features a new smartphone-inspired interface for managing and using apps.
Elsewhere in the cabin, a ‘floating’ two-piece centre console and door cars aim to add to the airy feeling created by the standard-fit panoramic roof.
No official launch date has been given but we’d expect the new Mercedes CLA EV to arrive in the UK this autumn, ahead of the launch of a 48V hybrid model towards the end of the year.
