- The new Mercedes-Benz CLA electric sedan is shaping up to be a charging and road-tripping champion.
- On paper, the EV can charge at up to 320 kilowatts, which is mighty impressive.
- In the real world, though, the entry-level battery-powered Mercedes can go even higher.
The electric Mercedes-Benz CLA caused quite a stir when it debuted earlier this year. For an entry-level EV, it packs some impressive stats, including great energy efficiency and an 800-volt architecture that allows for a maximum charging speed of 320 kilowatts.
Well, it turns out that the new CLA can perform even better in the real world than on paper, as prolific EV tester and YouTuber Bjorn Nyland recently found out on a 621-mile (1,000-kilometer) trip with Mercedes’ most affordable electric car.
Remember that 320 kW maximum power input? During his test, Nyland discovered that the CLA actually tops out at an even more impressive 350 kW, albeit for just a few minutes. It all comes down to what DC fast chargers you come across on such a long drive.
On one Alpitronic 400 kW stall, the CLA shot up to 349 kW after being plugged in at just 2% state of charge. However, it didn’t sustain such a high speed for long, with the power starting to drop after the battery level went over 10%. It reached 300 kW after around two minutes, and, after 10 minutes, the power was down to 142 kW, while the state of charge was up to 44%.
Using another Alpitronic stall, however, yielded different results. The car went up to 333 kW and maintained at least 300 kW until the battery reached 25%. Meanwhile, on a 350 kW Ionity charger, the car was plugged at 13% and it maxed out at 270 kW. That said, when the battery level reached 50%, the car was still pulling 200 kW of power.
These are serious power levels, and it all means that long road trips with the CLA EV should be as easy as pie. Bjorn Nyland started the trip from his home with a full battery and needed three short charging stops along the way. After nine hours on the road, including charging, the car had an average energy efficiency of 3.08 miles/kilowatt-hour (202 watt-hours/kilometer) and an average speed of 69 miles per hour (111.1 kilometers per hour).
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Source: Andrei Nedelea
The car in question was a 2025 CLA 350 4Matic, which has a usable battery capacity of 85 kilowatt-hours and two electric motors that make a combined 349 horsepower and 280 pound-feet (380 Newton-meters) of torque.
By comparison, the CLA was five minutes faster than the more expensive Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ and Tesla Model S Long Range, according to Nyland’s previous tests. That said, this particular CLA did not accept a charge at a 400-volt Tesla Supercharger. That’s because in some markets, the entry-level Mercedes-Benz EV doesn’t come with a 400V converter, forcing owners to use 800V chargers exclusively.
That’s not the case for United States-bound models, though. As we learned earlier this year, the U.S.-spec 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA will have a 400V converter, allowing it to recharge at practically any DC fast charger in the country. It’s worth noting that charging speeds will be lower at 400V stalls, compared to 800V chargers.
U.S. pricing for the new Mercedes-Benz CLA with EQ Technology is not available yet, but in Germany, its home country, it starts from the equivalent of $62,611(€53,065), including VAT.
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