Mercedes-Benz has offered early particulars of the powertrains that will probably be supplied for the third-generation CLA, which is about to be the primary mannequin to be constructed on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Structure (MMA). The skateboard platform can even be used for 3 different vehicles, together with a capturing brake and two SUVs.
In keeping with the German carmaker, the CLA will probably be accessible as pure electrical car (EV) which makes use of its new-generation Electrical Drive Unit (EDU 2.0). This sees a rear-wheel drive format that was sometimes reserved for autos larger up the category tree, with electrical motor rated at 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW).
All energy electronics, together with a silicon carbide (SiC) inverter are built-in right into a single element to maintain issues compact. For even higher effectivity, the rear EDU 2.0 unit additionally will get a two-speed transmission, which isn’t frequent amongst EVs that sometimes go for a single-speed discount gear.
The transmission’s first gear (11:1 ratio) is used when accelerating from a standstill and switches to the second gear (5:1 ratio) at larger speeds, with the highest pace being 210 km/h. The shift factors additionally soak up account the driving state of affairs and the chosen driving programme.
To fulfill the wants of consumers who require all-wheel drive, 4Matic variants of the upcoming CLA will add a front-mounted electrical motor (with a single-speed discount gear) offering 109 PS (107 hp or 80 kW). This received’t be energetic on a regular basis and can solely kick into motion when the corresponding energy or traction is required.
To attain this, a Disconnect Unit (DCU) is used for the primary time for the model’s entry-level phase to decouple the electrical motor on the entrance axle. Mercedes-Benz says this reduces entrance axles losses by 90% and helps to extend vary, with the goal being a WLTP-rated determine of 750 km as per the Idea CLA Class from a yr in the past. The compact entrance unit additionally permits for a frunk.
As for batteries, Mercedes-Benz is providing two cell chemistries to select from, together with a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) pack with an vitality content material of 85 kWh (680 Wh/l, 496 kg). The choice is a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with 58 kWh (450 Wh/l, 484 kg) – each packs are liquid cooled and have 4 modules inside them.
The CLA can even mark the primary time the model makes use of an 800V electrical structure in a manufacturing automobile, which permits super-fast DC charging at as much as 320 kW that’s claimed so as to add 300 km of vary with simply 10 minutes of charging. There’s additionally AC charging at both 11 kW or 22 kW, and there are plans so as to add bi-directional charging in future, new entry-level fashions.
On the each day drive, the CLA can even recuperate as much as 200 kW, with 4 ranges accessible by clients: D Automobile (clever recuperation), D+ (coasting, no recuperation), D (commonplace recuperation as much as one metre per second sq.) and D- (excessive recuperation as much as three metres per second sq.).
To showcase the potential of the CLA’s electrical powertrain, Mercedes-Benz’s Undertaking N noticed two close-to-production prototypes cowl as a lot floor as doable inside 24 hours on the Nardo high-speed take a look at observe in Italy. On the finish of testing, a CLA coated precisely 3,717 km with 40 charging stops, each lasting round 10 minutes. If these are taken into consideration, the typical pace was 154.9 km/h.
Spectacular as that could be, there are those that should not able to go absolutely electrical. As such, Mercedes-Benz is overlaying that buyer base by providing the brand new CLA as hybrid with a 48V system. On the coronary heart of this setup is the M252 from the corporate’s FAME (Household of Modular Engines) line-up.
The M252 runs on the Miller cycle (12:1 compression ratio) and has a displacement of 1.5 litres, with three energy ranges supplied: 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW), 163 PS (161 hp or 120 kW) and 190 PS (188 hp or 140 kW). Paired to the engine is a brand new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission dubbed 8F-eDCT, which has an built-in electrical motor rated at 27 PS (27 hp or 20 kW).
The electrical motor present assist at low speeds and permits electrical coasting at a pace of as much as round 100 km/h. It additionally acts to fireside up the engine, which means there’s no want for a traditional pinion starter and the start-stop operate is sort of imperceptible for the motive force. A particular function being touted is the engine can recuperate in all eight gears to get better as much as 25 kW of vitality.
All that vitality is fed to a 48V lithium-ion battery with an vitality capability of 1.3 kWh. For environment friendly packaging, the battery cells and the DC/DC converter are built-in in what is named a flat pack that’s tucked beneath the motive force’s seat (left-hand drive). As an possibility, clients can even select to have a mechanical 4Matic all-wheel drive system.
The brand new CLA is anticipated to go on sale someday subsequent yr, and we’ll seemingly get much more particulars as we strategy its official debut date.
GALLERY: 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA prototype
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