The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA debuted as the German luxury brand’s newest electric sedan. It brings a smaller and presumably more affordable option to the Mercedes EV sedan lineup and departs from the confusing EQ branding.
The new CLA is available with a single-motor rear-wheel-drive, or dual-motor all-wheel-drive, electric powertrain. The single-motor CLA 250+ is rated at 268 horsepower and is estimated to get 367–418 miles of range (using European WLTP standards). Meanwhile, the sportier CLA 350 4Matic produces 349 horsepower and gets 354–407 miles of range. Both variants use an 85 kWh battery and a two-speed transmission that’s claimed to improve efficiency and range.
This new Mercedes-Benz CLA first debuted in concept form in September of 2023, and the production model is quite faithful to the original concept’s design. It’s a little bigger than the outgoing CLA, partially to fit the battery pack under the floor. As with the outgoing generation, the CLA will continue to share a platform with the GLA and GLB crossovers.
Although the CLA is debuting as an EV, a hybrid version is also on the way. The all-electric versions have “with EQ technology” in their trim names, signaling that they’re EVs. The EVs use an 800-volt architecture, allowing for charging speeds up to 320 kW.
Inside, the Mercedes-Benz CLA has what Mercedes calls the Superscreen, which is not as extreme as the Hyperscreen in the EQ series of EVs. The dash-spanning display contains a 14-inch center infotainment screen, a 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and an optional passenger screen.
Since Cadillac has no electric or hybrid sedans yet, the new generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLA will have no direct rivals from GM’s luxury brand. The closest GM competitor to the outgoing CLA is the Cadillac CT4, being the smallest Caddy sedan, but the high-tech, electric or hybrid CLA is so different from the CT4 as to be a very different luxury car.
Although GM PHEVs are coming to North America by 2027, we reported last year that Cadillac will not participate in the upcoming PHEV resurgence. Instead, Cadillac is committed to offering a mix of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and all-electric vehicles (EVs) until it transitions to a fully electrified portfolio.
Led once again by the Equinox EV.
Ranging from 7,100 pounds to 10,000 pounds.
With double the rear cargo space.
The Vette was apparently stolen.
Celebrating the region’s boldness and pride, GM says.
Improved efficiency and power offboarding as well.
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I mean, Cadillac already stated there will be an electric CT4. These headlines suck.
But no date.
Looks like a “Dinner Roll” with wheels.
"Electric 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Debuts With No Cadillac Rival"
Good. Hopefully GM comes up with an internal combustion competitor that will outsell the Mercedes 100 to 1. I'm a regular MB customer they keep BEGGING me to come buy an EV. They even started offering 25K off nearly their entire lineup. This EV nonsense is dead dead dead. Dealers can't give them away. They were a niche product, the niche has been satisfied and repeating the lie that they're the future isn't working any more.
it is a cryibg fish sad face,,, how horrible mercedes since then got,,, they do nt have designers who knows how to draw ? mean beauty ? and when u open the hood u got a hole not an engine
1, how is your girl supposed to put her feet on the dash if it's all a screen???? Must be single men and feminist women designing these. (Well Germany has a negative population growth so probably)
2, Cadillac, just leave it be. Cadillac doesn't need a car to compete with this, being a German "compact luxury" falls into the realm of Buick, not Cadillac, which ironically has a more prominent history of battery vehicles anyways. Send these vanilla EV's to Buick, and let Cadillac play with big land barges with LT4's LT5's LT7 's and other outrageous glorious engines.
You let people put their dirty feet on your dash? ...eew. That's something that's always bothered me, and it never even looks comfortable. Also, a great way to end up with broken legs and a broken pelvis if the airbag ever deploys.
That being said, I think the idea of a screen on the passenger side of the dash is stupid and useless.
Another door-to-door screen. Yawn.
I was beginning to warm up to electrical vehicles until I saw some going up in flames. If the battery system and its controls go astray or if the vehicle is involved in an accident look out. Having said this as much as I am a GM fan hats off to MB for a car that looks like a car getting away from those weird shaped cars like the Lyric. GM SUVs are better. I have a CT 4V and it is a great car. MB gives GM something to shoot for!
Does Cadillac have an all-electric portfolio? Didn't they see what happened to Dodge? Even the hemi will return as soon as possible. No one car electric car was a very specific niche in the market. The EV wave is gone
OMG! Look at that frontal design. O M G it's ugly. What happened to the classic beauty look that Mercedes had at one time?? The front and back both look like they were parked in the sun too long and are melting. CLA's back seat room is best reserved for a child car seat at best. At least the CT4 has much better design.
What new? Most Mercedes-Benz models have no Cadillac rival, that why Mercedes-Benz's USA sales since 2012 have exceeded 300,000/year why Cadillac's USA sales struggle to reach 100,000/year. Mercedes-Benz must have first class executives while Cadillac executives that are below first class. Sales of the $340,000+ Cadillac Hearse Mobile are still at zero.