Move over Tesla and BYD – when it comes to a holistic EV experience (in terms of comfort, design, battery efficiency, speed, power, and engineering), the Germans have started to show who is the boss. The BMW Neue Klasse iX3 and the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric are examples of such holistic EVs – the latter will be launched soon, and I drove it on roads around Bengaluru.
What is it?
Built on the 800-volt MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) platform, the CLA Electric is a four-door coupe, fitted with an 85.5-kWh battery pack and has a claimed driving range of 792 km. It will be launched in April in the price range of Rs 57-60 lakh, ex-showroom.
How’s the design?
It looks like a mini-S-Class from a distance, but get closer and you’ll see it’s unlike any Mercedes-Benz. The grille area has 142 small, backlit three-pointed stars surrounding the large central emblem, and the DRLs are also shaped like individual Mercedes-Benz stars. Frameless doors and sloping roofline give it a youthful appearance.
How’s the cabin?
It doesn’t shout out luxury, but whispers it. Almost the entire dashboard is a screen, and compared to any other Mercedes-Benz car, it has fewer physical controls – but the most-needed controls are on the steering wheel. The entire roof is glass (not sure if it’s a good feature for Indian summers). Front row space is good, but the backseat is cramped. Boot is small (405 litres), but the frunk (front trunk) is huge, at 101 litres.
It, clearly, is a driver’s car, and for small families.
How does it drive?
Like most EVs, it’s silent, but unlike most EVs, it has a two-speed gearbox – and that changes everything. Most EVs have a single gear that gives them explosive start but it becomes less efficient at highway speeds. The CLA Electric has two gears – the shorter first gear provides a punchy start, and the taller second gear keeps the motor in a sweet spot at high speeds, making the car extremely silent on highways, and giving it almost 600 km of real-world range. This gearshift, however, isn’t felt by the driver at all.
The Indian model has raised ground clearance, and driving on rural roads north of Bengaluru, the car didn’t scrape tall speed-breakers.
What I didn’t like
While the car is a masterclass in efficiency and driving dynamics, it’s not the ‘perfect star’.
Knees-up seating: The floor is high, and a person on the rear seat will sit in an uncomfortable knees-up position.
Harsh ride: Like most driver-focused cars, the suspension is stiff, and on broken roads the ride turns harsh.
Too digital: While it has physical controls, some important controls – such as climate control – are on the screen.
Launch timing
Bookings are open, and customer deliveries will start in April. We’re certain about pricing, which will be in the range of Rs 57-60 lakh, ex-showroom, making it an extremely good deal compared to Tesla Model Y (Rs 59.89-67.89 lakh) or BMW iX1 (Rs 51 lakh).
Overall, in the age of SUVs, Mercedes-Benz shows that it’s actually a sedan that provides the ‘Sheer Driving Pleasure’.
74.14 km/litre
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one litre of petrol contains 8.9 kWh of energy. The CLA Electric can travel 8.33 km on 1 kWh, and therefore on 8.9 kWh – or one litre equivalent of petrol – it can travel a whopping 74.137 km. That’s how efficient electric cars are compared to petrol/diesel.
Specifications
Battery: 85.5 kWh
Claimed range: 792 km
Real range: 600 km*
Power: 200 kW
Torque: 335 Nm
0-100 km/h: 6.7 seconds
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Boot space: 405 litres
Frunk: 101 litres
Price: Rs 57-60 lakh (expected)
Competitors: BYD Seal (Rs 41-53 lakh); Tesla Model Y (Rs 59.89-67.89 lakh)
(Mercedes-Benz will also launch the CLA 200 Standard Range with 58-kWh battery, and claimed range of 542 km)
