The year 2026 is a new beginning for the electric car arena as more and more related technologies are beginning to show maturity, and this technology is being implemented in new models. Mercedes Benz Malaysia today announced their new electric model, the Mercedes Benz CLA, which is a far different design from previous models and is also an entry-level EV for them based on the price offered, different from most of their other models in the luxury car class.
When compared in terms of design and technology, the Mercedes Benz CLA which was first exhibited as a concept car at the IAA Mobility 2023 event, the CLA 250+ offered is the first model built using their new architecture which uses a modular concept. It features the latest battery technology with an 800V charging architecture, enabling a DC fast charge of 320kW 10-80% in 15 minutes, or roughly a 10-minute charge that adds 325km to the range.
It has an 85kWh battery that provides a range of 792 KM WLTP and AC charging of 11kW. In terms of performance, the Mercedes Benz CLA 250+ is an all-wheel drive with electric motors at the front and rear, with a power of 268 HP enabling acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h. Despite its good performance, it also has a high energy efficiency of around 12.2 kWh / 100 km.
Decorating the Mercedes Benz CLA 250+ are 142 LED 'star' lights at the front, with Mercedes design elements in the headlights and taillights. The panoramic translucent roof also gives a spacious style, and it also offers a frunk front storage space of 101 L, and a luggage space of 405 L. The interior design also appears prestigious with three screen displays with one 10-inch for the driver, and two 14-inch screens for the front passengers and inforia, powered by the latest MB.OS operating system developed in-house by Mercedes. It also has the MBUX virtual assistant built based on ChatGPT-4o and the Microsoft Bing search engine, as well as applying Google Gemini for navigation functions based on Google Maps.
Currently, Mercedes Benz Malaysia is still in the process of registering interest, with a target price of around RM 295,888 and is expected to meet users in the second quarter of this year. For those of you who are interested, you can come to Stars@Mercedes Benz Bangsar (NZ Wheels Bangsar) to see this new electric car for yourself.
