Mercedes-Benz previews next CLA, breaks EV distance record in testing

Mercedes-Benz is hard at work putting the finishing touches on the next generation of its sleek CLA sedan. Due to be officially introduced next year, it will feature the latest and greatest in Mercedes' powertrain technology and software, and ahead of that formal reveal, the automaker sent out some images of a camouflaged CLA being driven around its test track in southern Germany by company CEO Ola Källenius.

The next CLA will be the first Mercedes to use the new MB.OS as its underlying operating system, a Linux-based system that also runs QNX in a hypervisor for the safety-critical stuff like the dashboard display. CEO Källenius gave Ars a run-through of MB.UX in 2023, explaining that while it will still work with third parties, it remains in charge.

"We are the full architects of the stack. That doesn't mean we need to program every line of code. It doesn’t make technological sense, and it doesn’t make economic sense," he told Ars.

Mercedes’ first true in-house EV powertrain

Ars has also had a preview of the clever new electric powertrain going into the CLA. Mercedes has until now relied upon partners like Bosch to help develop the powertrains in its EVs, but the CLA will be its first truly in-house design.

Before the powertrain was ready for the CLA, it needed testing, which Mercedes did with an elegant concept called the EQXX. It's capable of almost 750 miles on a single charge. We tested this silver arrow in 2022, learning quite a bit about how Mercedes' EV engineers think in the process.

As impressive as the 7.44 miles/kWh (8.35 kWh/100 km) I managed in the EQXX was, when I tried the same powertrain in a boxy, unaerodynamic EQB, it returned 5 miles/kWh (12.5 kWh/100 km), an 80 percent improvement over the production EQB.

To prove its chops, Mercedes took a CLA prototype to the Nardo test track in southern Italy, where it covered 2,309 miles (3,716 km) in 24 hours, beating a record set by Porsche in 2019 by 181 miles (291 km). The test used Nardo's high-speed bowl, a 7.8-mile (12.5 km) circle of track, averaging 95 mph (153 km/h), including 40 recharging stops that saw the car stationary for a total of 6 hours and 40 minutes.

A new gasoline version?

The sneak peek included something of a surprise: A new gasoline version of the CLA is on the way as well. As we detailed back in February, Mercedes no longer believes that the world is ready for it to go all-electric by 2030, even in Europe. As such, it wants to be able to offer customers more "electrified" models as well as EVs.

The gas CLA will use a 48 V mild hybrid powertrain, but the internal combustion engine will actually be made by Horse Powertrain Limited, a Chinese joint venture between Geely and Renault.