Mercedes-Benz has revealed a new "close-to-production" entry-level EV concept at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich that offers incredible range and consumption.
The Concept CLA Class is a compact sedan based on the company's new MMA (Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture) electric platform which it says "offers a close-to-production insight into the upcoming family of vehicles that stands at the gateway to the brand".
As the first car to be developed on the new platform, Mercedes says the Concept CLA Class "points the way for the next-generation electric-drive technology" underpinning the series-production model, with the company claiming an "anticipated range" of more than 750 kilometres with energy consumption of around 12kWh/100 kilometres.
The powertrain is derived from the electric-drive system in the Vision EQXX, the super-frugal concept car that has a real-world range of 1000km-plus on a single charge of its 100kWh battery, as proven on a number of occasions where it covered more than 1000km on a charge and, on one run, more than 1200km.
The powertrain was developed in-house by Mercedes-Benz and comprises of an 800 V electric architecture combined with a battery with "exceptional energy density" and a highly efficient electric drive unit. In the Concept CLA Class it is configured for rear-wheel drive, however, the modular design means it is also suitable for AWD applications as well.
The innovative battery system is based on a highly modular architecture and will allow customers to choose from two different cell chemistries, with the entry-level model coming with a lithium-ion phosphate battery pack, while the top-level variant features an anode design with silicon-oxide content for excellent energy density.
The battery itself has a small overall volume and, in a first, its cell modules are held in place using adhesive rather than screws. Mercedes says the resulting structure is not only lighter than a conventional battery configuration; it is also stiffer, which offers benefits in crash safety.
Likewise, the 800 V configuration "facilitates a high level of electric endurance in a compact package" and has lower cooling requirements. The high-voltage configuration also enables high-power 250 kW DC charging, delivering up to 400 kilometres of range in 15 minutes.
Mercedes-Benz's newly-developed electric drive unit (MB.EDU) comprises of the motor, transmission and power electronics, is also based on a modular concept and is the first in a family of drive units "engineered to meet a wide range of performance demands across a number of model lines."
The 175kW permanently excited synchronous motor is paired with a two-speed transmission and makes for a compact overall package weighing less than 110 kilograms.
The company claims that its extremely high energy efficiency of up to 93 percent from battery to wheel in long distance driving is thanks to "meticulous minimisation of losses throughout the system and places it at the forefront of the sector."
But it's not just the efficient nature of the powertrain that is impressive, as Mercedes is also claiming some impressive improvements in teh manufacturing process as well: the MB.EDU features a significantly lower share of heavy rare earth metals than previous generations (close to 0 percent, in fact), while manufacture of the batteries takes "a major step forward in net carbon-neutral manufacturing."
Acording to Mercedes-Benz, not only is cell production net carbon neutral but also cathode production, which will allow the company to reduce the carbon footprint of the cells by 40 percent. Further emissions reductions will be achieved through using renewable energy in the production and refinement of raw materials.
Of course, the Concept CLA Class is packed with cutting-edge technology inside the cabin as well, with the next generation of Mercedes-Benz's Superscreen display that features three large screens with advanced real-time graphics courtesy of the Unity game engine.
The car will also offer SAE Level 2 autonomous capabilities thanks to the use of LiDAR alongside traditional radar, camera and ultrasonic sensors and a proprietary MB.OS operating system that integrates AI and machine learning.
While the Concept CLA Class is officially just a concept (which you probably gathered from its name...), the company's use of "close-to-production" to describe it and both Mercedes' and BMW's tendency to essentially reveal production vehicles as lightly disguised "concepts" strongly suggest that this will be quite close to the production version of the next-generation CLA (again, that name thing...), shorn of the wilder show car excesses like the massive wheels and super-low stance. Pending a few detail changes according to the reaction it receives, of course.
