Mercedes launched a glance on the powertrain expertise of its upcoming electrical CLA, and it consists of tons of neat EV tech and a few attention-grabbing choices for battery expertise and what seems to be to be essentially the most versatile charging system we’ve seen but.
We’ve already discovered a good quantity concerning the CLA after first seeing the idea final 12 months, and Mercedes launched just a few new specifics in the present day concerning its powertrain.
In line with earlier info we knew, the CLA is focusing on extraordinarily excessive effectivity of 12kWh/100km, which interprets to only 193Wh/mi or 5.2mi/kWh. That’s extra environment friendly than anything on the highway in the present day – with Lucid’s Air Pure reaching 200Wh/mi, or 5mi/kWh. And simply lower than what Tesla is claiming the Cybercab might be able to, at 5.5kWh/mi.
That is because of Mercedes’ new compact EDU 2.0 electrical motor, which is a part of its new Mercedes Modular Structure (MMA) which can underpin its upcoming electrical autos. The drive motor might be 200kW on the rear axle, although all-wheel drive fashions might be accessible with an extra 80kW unit on the entrance axle. A two-speed transmission will guarantee effectivity at excessive speeds and low.
For extra effectivity in chilly climate, the CLA will use an air-to-air warmth pump which is ready to seize warmth from the motor, battery, and ambient air to warmth the cabin. Whereas batteries and motors don’t make practically as a lot waste warmth as inefficient ICE engines, it’s nonetheless good to have the ability to channel warmth to wherever you want it.
Mercedes says that the CLA will come outfitted with a alternative of two completely different batteries, every with completely different chemistries.
The bigger 85kWh mannequin might be able to an unnecessarily-high 750km (466mi) of WLTP vary – although WLTP numbers are all the time increased than EPA numbers, so anticipate one thing within the high-300s in EPA parlance. This battery will add silicon oxide to the anode for increased vitality density, a expertise that has been pioneered by Sila Nanotechnologies, an organization which Mercedes is a lead investor in.
The smaller battery might be 58kWh, and can use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. LFP is a less expensive however decrease vitality density expertise, with increased long-term sturdiness and less complicated sourcing of minerals (it makes use of no cobalt, whereas Mercedes says cobalt has been “decreased” within the bigger batteries). Nevertheless, LFP typically has slower quick charging and chilly climate efficiency.
On charging: the “premium” battery can have an 800V configuration able to as much as 320kW charging speeds. Mercedes says this could add 300km (186mi) of vary in 10 minutes, and likewise says that the automotive can have a broad charging curve, which implies you’ll get excessive cost charges even when the battery isn’t near empty. It didn’t specify if the smaller LFP battery can have the identical cost price.
This excessive charging price allowed Mercedes to set a file touring 3,717km (2,309mi) in 24 hours on the Nardo take a look at observe in Italy in a pre-production CLA. That’s a median journey price of 96mph – together with time spent charging.
We additionally discovered one thing about Mercedes’ NACS adoption plans. Whereas nearly everybody has dedicated to transitioning vehicles to NACS, it has taken longer than anticipated (largely resulting from Tesla’s chaotic CEO firing the entire supercharger crew for little purpose), and few vehicles have native NACS inlets but. Some manufacturers can already cost at Superchargers with adapters, however Mercedes remains to be on Tesla’s “coming quickly” web page.
On account of delays in onbaording automakers, some appear to have pulled again on their plans, pushing NACS ports to later mannequin years. However Mercedes has a brand new and distinctive resolution – it should simply put each CCS and NACS ports on the CLA, proper on prime of one another.
Mercedes says “sooner or later, new entry-level fashions might be able to bidirectional charging,” however isn’t clear whether or not this mannequin might be able to that.
Electrek’s Take
Whereas that is wanting a full launch of specs, we’re excited by what we see right here. Mercedes appears to substantiate that they’re assembly the effectivity targets they set out, and we like that they’re providing a wide range of choices and profiting from some newer EV tech like 800V charging infrastructure.
The inclusion of each NACS and CCS could be very attention-grabbing, once more providing choices to house owners in the course of the transition. That appears to be the massive message from Mercedes right here – we’re not going to only choose one instrument, we’re going to make use of all of them.
However pricing and availability are clearly large questions, as is design.
The idea seems to be incredible, however ideas all the time change on their method into manufacturing. The form of the camouflaged take a look at car could be very completely different – however seems to be to have some shrouding on the back and front to cover its form, so we’ll have to attend till we see this factor unveiled for extra.
And as for pricing – Mercedes says the CLA might be an “entry-level” automotive, however who is aware of what which means anymore nowadays. The bottom ICE CLA begins at round $44k at the moment, so lets see if they’ll hit that quantity.
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