'Range anxiety will go away': How the Mercedes CLA sedan could upend Americans' views on EVs
Americans have two demands when buying an electric vehicle: extended range and rapid charging time.
German automaker Mercedes-Benz may have a solution: the upcoming electric CLA sedan.
The vehicle, available later this year in dealers, offers the "longest range and best charging performance" of any Mercedes model, according to Markus Schäfer, a Mercedes board member and its chief technology officer.
"Range and battery charging are crucial elements for buyers," Schäfer told ABC News. "Another hesitation is charging network availability, and in some countries it's the cost of energy. The adoption of EVs is taking longer than the industry and society expected."
He added, "This is the most efficient Mercedes ever."
The CLA can travel nearly 500 miles on a single charge, according to Mercedes. Underneath the sedan's shell is an 800-volt electrical architecture, which allows the 48-volt lithium-ion battery to recoup roughly 200 miles in 10 minutes. DC fast charging up to 320 kilowatt (kW) is possible, too.
"Some customers wish charging was as fast as filling up a gasoline car," Schäfer noted. "It's our vision for an EV to charge like fuel. We're pushing the limits of what is possible with the CLA. Range anxiety will go away."
Schäfer insisted that the latest iteration of the CLA could change Americans' attitudes on EVs. The company, however, is not entirely abandoning internal combustion engines: the CLA will also be sold as a high-performance hybrid next year.
"Customers have the flexibility ... it's the best of both worlds," Schäfer said.
Official Environmental Protection Agency range estimates for the CLA are coming. The current numbers advertised by Mercedes are based on the European WLTP standard for measuring fuel consumption and range. Mercedes is also in the process of building 350 kW proprietary charging stations across the U.S. for its customers.
John Voelcker, an EV specialist and contributing editor at Car and Driver, said EVs are evaluated differently in the U.S. The EPA's stringent testing criteria could mean a 20% to 30% reduction in the CLA's quoted range. Plus, real-world scenarios could affect optimistic charging speeds, he said.
The CLA's touted charging time "comes with a bucket of asterisks," Voelcker told ABC News. "The battery has to be preconditioned, or warmed up to the right temperature. There has to be a charging station that can deliver 800 volts consistently. The ambient temperature has to be right. I don't know how realistic that charging statement is."
Voelcker, however, suggested that the CLA could become the company's first volume EV.
"Mercedes' EQ series has not sold like gangbusters here and they are expensive," he said. "The company though has learned a lot from its first generation of EVs. Mercedes also has an easier audience to sell EVs to -- their customers are educated and more willing to try new things."
Pricing of the new CLA models have not yet been announced, but Voelcker said the Trump administration's tariffs on foreign automakers could make the entry-level model even more expensive. The current CLA model starts at $44,400 in the U.S.
Tyson Jominy, vice president of data and analytics at J.D. Power, said the CLA has many advantages over its competitors, including the Tesla Model 3.
"The numbers are spectacular, quite frankly," he told ABC News. "We're seeing now the evolution of EVs. Mercedes can't pack anymore into this vehicle. There are very few downsides."
One potential drawback: it's not an SUV. Americans' interest in sedans continues to shrink, according to Jominy.
"It won't satisfy everyone's utility needs," he said. "But for anyone looking to buy an EV sedan, they should check out this vehicle."
Battery electric vehicles make up 9.6% of the U.S. market right now, up nearly 2% from the same period a year ago. Jominy predicts 2025 will be a "reset" year for EVs despite the upward tick in sales.
"It's a tough environment for EVs," he said. "Even Tesla has been aggressive with its pricing. Americans are learning to come around to EVs but it's taking a long time."
Range and battery charging times are not the only selling points for the CLA. It's also the first model to operate on the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), making it the "most intelligent" vehicle built by Mercedes. Owners can easily engage with the vehicle's virtual assistant, which, according to the company, is "intelligent, easy to talk to and empathetic, like a friend."
"AI will revolutionize the entire user experience," said Magnus Östberg, chief software officer at Mercedes-Benz. "The virtual assistant is superior. Customers will love it."
