Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class is here to cure your future range anxiety in style
Say hello to the Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class, as unveiled at the Munich Auto Show (or IAA to give its official name), which sets the tone for a new era for the German marque. The distinctive new design is built on a new platform, with new software and enough range per charge to cure your future range anxiety.
The Concept CLA is the first vehicle on Mercedes' MMA platform – that stands for 'Mercedes Modular Architecture' – and the car-maker says that these very images you've got your eyes clapped on is a "close-to-production insight" of a real on-the-road car due in the not-so-far future. I think it looks very smart indeed, really leaning into the brand's famed three-pointed star logo in many visual areas.
But before I dig deeper into the aesthetic details of this concept car, it's the range per charge that's going to really impress: a WLTP-rated 750km/466m is possible from one charge, and whilst I always take the official Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure with a pinch of salt, that's still a high figure – and I've seen first-hand how proficient Mercedes is thanks to a 300 mile trip in the EQS back in June 2023 – the company's Vision EQXX has already set a range milestone.
Mercedes calls the Concept CLS a "hypermiler" given its efficiency (100km/62m is said to use 12kWh of the 90kWh battery), plus an 800V charging system means you can top-up over 53 per cent of the battery in just 15 minutes at an able fast-charging system. These systems will become increasingly the norm for future electric cars, which I think is an important step in further curing range anxiety and speeding up the current charging scenario.
So what's it like in the driving seat of the Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class? As you can see from the variety of concept pictures above, Mercedes has gone with an airy and open cabin, no centre tunnel to extend the flow and open visual. That's complemented by interior lighting and a full-width 'Superscreen' that spans the full dash width to cater for the infotainment system.
Infotainment is an important aspect of the Concept CLA, too, as an all-new MB.OS – which stands for 'Mercedes-Benz Operating System' – makes its debut in this car. Mercedes says the Concept CLA Class will "promise a level of individualisation, seamless interaction and infotainment" that represents a glimpse of more to come, with artificial intelligence being used for drivers' individual preferences.
Impressive both inside and out, it's perhaps the exterior that's really going to excite – and I really like how Mercedes has leveraged the three-pointed star in so many different ways with this car. As you can see in the gallery of images embedded above, from the wheels, to the front grille, plus both sets of headlamps, and LED lights with an animated star pattern, it's a star-studded affair throughout. It adds real distinction – although I do wonder which aspects of this will be foregone for a true on-the-road car in the future.
As per many of the best EVs of today, the Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class will also offer partially autonomous driving (SAE Level 2) thanks to a suite of driver assistance and safety systems. The T3 team has already tried out Mercedes' Level 3 system and that was mighty impressive, so for this concept to go a level up and offer yet more is just a sign of what's to come – from lane-changing, to automatic manoeuvering, parking, obstacle-avoidance, and beyond.
I'm out at IAA in Munich and look forward to seeing the Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class in person. It joins other rivals, though, from BMW's Vision Neue Klasse concept, to Mini's Cooper EV updated interior design. In terms of standout design, though, for me it's the Concept CLA that wins this show... and I can't wait to see the finished CLA EV in the near future!
