Mercedes shows electric CLA Coupé almost without camouflage

Door handles apparently only extend when required

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

By: Stefan Leichsenring

Oct 14, 2024 at 5:38am ET

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Has someone spray-painted a Mercedes saloon? That's what it looks like at first glance, but our cover picture shows an important model of the future: the electric CLA, the first model based on the new Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA). The star brand is now presenting the barely camouflaged car at a fashion festival in Hyères in the south of France.

The basic shape of the car differs surprisingly little from today's Mercedes models especially when you remember how radical the design break will be in BMW's Neue Klasse. Mercedes is clearly focussing on continuity with the new CLA.

Current Mercedes CLA (facelift from 2023)

Mercedes Concept CLA Class (2023)

However, many details that together make up the appearance of the newcomer, such as the star-shaped light signature or the surface of the grille, which had an illuminated star pattern in the study, are not yet recognisable in the new images.

Mercedes CLA based on MMA as a prototype

However, it is recognisable that the door handles will probably lie flat in the body when the car is in motion and locked when stationary; apparently they only extend when they are needed - then they look like on the prototype picture of the CLA above. It can also be seen that the side mouldings look very similar to those on the current model.

From the side view, there is hardly any difference between the old and the new CLA. The current coupé (there is also the estate-like CLA Shooting Brake) is 4.69 metres long and has a wheelbase of 2.73 metres. The height is 1.43 metres. If the impression is not misleading, the proportions remain the same, so the new model will not be much taller and chubbier because of the battery in the underbody.

At the rear, the new CLA will apparently have a continuous light line and two rounded tail lights on the left and right, probably also with a star-shaped light signature. Here the difference to the current model with its large rear lights is clear.

As far as the technology is concerned, it is known so far that the car will have an 800-volt architecture, which will ensure fast charging. In addition to electric versions, there will also be combustion engines and plug-in hybrids, as the platform is electric first, but not electric only.

The new eATS 2.0 drivetrain with two-speed transmission will also be used. The Concept CLA study had a 238 PS permanent magnet motor on the rear axle. Ranges of up to 466 miles are also expected. By comparison, the EQE with its 96-kWh battery achieves up to 429 miles, while the EQS with its 118-kWh battery has a maximum range of 507 miles.

If the wheelbase of the new CLA remains the same as before (2.73 metres compared to 3.12 metres for the EQE and 3.21 metres for the EQS), smaller batteries with a maximum of 90 kWh can be expected. To get more range than the EQE, the CLA has very low energy consumption. The study should manage with 5.18 mi/kWh. In addition to high-range models with a high silicon content in the battery anodes, there will also be affordable entry-level models with LFP batteries.

Flush integrated door handles: Probably the most interesting detail in the new pictures

Mercedes is a sponsor of the aforementioned 39th Festival d'Hyères. In addition to the collections of the competition finalists, the new Mercedes CLA in camouflage look was also presented at the fashion festival. There was no information about the new model. However, the new CLA will not be launched until 2025, and numerous other teasers are likely to follow before then. The MMA vehicles will initially be built in Rastatt, followed later by Kecskemét (Hungary) and Beijing.

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The bottom line

Mercedes already has a large number of electric cars on the market today, from the EQB to the EQS SUV. However, they are all quite tall - even the EQE and EQS saloons measure 1.51 metres in height. The electric Mercedes CLA could be lower, which should benefit not only the aerodynamics but also the driving dynamics. It will be interesting to see the newcomer.

Source: Mercedes