The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is only a concept at this development stage, but it will provide the basis for a whole lineup of affordable Mercedes EVs later, the company says without specifying terms.
The show car is a low-drag four-door coupe with an unusual front design: there is a large illuminated faux grille and laconic headlights shaped like tri-point stars. More stars can be found on the sunroof as well. The door handles are installed flush with the car body, and the wheels measure 21 inches in diameter.
The dashboard houses as many as five displays – an instrument cluster, an infotainment screen in the middle, a front passenger’s display and two more screens built into the side air vents.
The MMA platform that the car runs on is still a work in progress, Mercedes admits. When it is complete, it will go on sale with two battery sizes to choose from. The creators reckon that it will cover up to 750 km (466 miles) on a charge. Thanks to 800V power architecture, it is expected to replenish enough power for roughly 400 km (250 miles) of driving in just 15 minutes plugged into a 250kW station.
There is only one electric motor announced for the CLA lineup right now, and it produces a comparatively modest 235 PS (232 hp / 173 kW). Having said that, it also weighs as little as 110 kilograms (242 pounds).