LOOK. This is what the Concept CLA Class looks like
Mercedes presented a production concept of its CLA sedan at the IAA auto show in Munich, which could cover more than 750 kilometers on a single charge. That is more than the new version of Tesla’s Model 3. The car also has a battery system that can add 400 kilometers of range in just fifteen minutes of charging.
“We are taking it to the next level,” said Markus Schäfer, head of technology at Mercedes, in an interview ahead of the auto show. “This car is extremely important for innovation reasons and to push the boundaries of what we can do with a production car.”
The automaker aims to sell only electric vehicles where possible by the end of this decade and plans to set up eight battery factories with partners.
Mercedes is under pressure to bolster its range after disappointing sales in China forced the company to cut prices on some of its electric models. Customers in China are increasingly opting for homegrown brands such as BYD and Nio, which are better at building electric vehicles with software tailored to local tastes.
Competitor BMW also presented its new concept for electric cars at the auto show, the so-called ‘Vision Neue Klasse’. According to BMW, those cars will be able to charge much faster and have a greater range, among other things. Both BMW and Mercedes expect to start producing their new electric cars in 2025.