- Mercedes has dropped more details of the powertrains that feature in next year’s 2026 CLA sedan and its SUV offshoots due later.
- EV models get single- and dual-motor options with up to 375 hp, 800-volt charging tech and an expected 466-mile range.
- The most potent of three 1.5-liter hybrids makes 188 combustion horses and adds 27 hp from an electric motor in the transmission.
Mercedes has begun to reveal more secrets about its crucial new CLA compact sedan that goes on sale next year, including the five different electric and hybrid powertrain options buyers will choose from. The CLA is the first of a family of new small Mercedes cars that’ll eventually consist of a sedan, wagon and two SUVs, all built around the same MMA platform capable of taking both EV and combustion tech.
Related: Mercedes CEO Drives 2026 Electric CLA, Reveals AI Assistant And 2-Speed Transmission
And it sounds like the fully-electric versions will live up the promises made by the 2023 CLA Concept. Like the show car, the production CLA will feature 800-volt charging and expects to be rated at 466 WLTP miles (750 km) of electric range in its most efficient spec. Capable of swallowing a 320 kW DC charge, the CLA will be able to add 36 kWh of energy in 10 minutes, and can be ordered with 58 kWh LFP or larger and more energy-dense 85 kWh silicon oxide anode batteries.
Entry-level rear-wheel drive versions get a single 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS) motor on the rear axle that drives through a two-speed transmission, and all-wheel drive models add a 107 hp (80 kW / 109 PS) electric motor on the font axle that is disengaged when not needed for maximum efficiency.
Even more powerful AMG-branded CLAs will appear in time, but Mercedes isn’t talking about them just yet. But it is happy to talk about the hybrid-engined versions of the CLA that will minimise the company’s exposure to a slowdown in the EV market.
The 1.5-liter Miller-cycle combustion engine under the hood is available in 134 hp (136 PS), 161 hp (163 PS) and 188 hp (190 PS) tunes, each boosted by a 27 hp (20 kW / 27 PS) electric motor tucked inside a wide-ratio eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. As with the EV, both two- and 4Matic all-wheel drive configurations will be available, though in the hybrid’s case the base car is front-, not rear-wheel drive.
Mercedes says its choice to use four rather than three cylinders (like BMW employs) means the CLA hybrid is more refined than rival cars and explains that it can drive on electric power “at urban speeds,” though doesn’t specify how far or how fast it can move without waking the ICE motor.
