- Some customers will have to wait until next year to take delivery of the new Mercedes CLA.
- Mercedes is building the electric version and, later this year, will start producing the ICE model.
- Both variants of the all-electric CLA come equipped with 85 kWh lithium-ion battery packs.
It turns out reports of the sedan’s death might have been slightly exaggerated. Sure, most major manufacturers have axed them from their lineups and replaced them with SUVs, which are currently in vogue, but a few makers are still rolling out new models.
Just three months after unveiling the the third-generation CLA, Mercedes is already ramping up production. Demand has been strong enough that the automaker is adding a third shift to its assembly line to keep up. For the first time, the CLA is available as a fully electric vehicle, alongside multiple internal combustion engine variants, which likely helps explain the spike in interest.
Electric Production Scaling Quickly
While recently speaking at an event at the company’s headquarters, Mercedes production director Jörg Burzer said that orders for the new CLA are “very encouraging” and confirmed that the production ramp-up is progressing smoothly. Supply challenges, particularly rare earth materials from China needed for the EV drivetrain, have been a concern across the industry, but Mercedes says it has secured the components it needs.
Read: Starry But Soulless 2026 Mercedes CLA Leans On AI And Electric Power
As it stands, around 200 units currently roll off the production line each day at Mercedes’ Stuttgart-Untertürkheim site. With 250 working days in a year, that pace would be enough to supply about 50,000 vehicles annually. However, Burzer noted that the plant is designed to handle “hundreds of thousands,” especially as other models will also be built on the MMA platform.
While strong demand for a new model is good, it comes with a downside: wait times. According to Automobilwoche, many CLAs will not be delivered until next year despite order books opening this April. This could prompt the company to freeze employee orders of the new CLA, allowing loyal customers to get their hands on it first.
Future CLA Models
Production of the gasoline-powered CLA models is set to begin in the next few months. Mercedes also plans to start building the new CLA Shooting Brake variant before the end of the year.
The two electric versions of the new CLA are known as the CLA 250+ with EQ Technology and the CLA 350 4Matic with EQ Technology. Both have an 85 kWh lithium-ion battery and an 800-volt electric architecture. The base model delivers 268 hp and 247 lb-ft (335 Nm) via a rear-mounted motor, while the CLA 350 uses two motors for a combined 349 hp and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm).
The combustion-powered models will feature 1.5-liter four-cylinder engines with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance. Performance figures for these variants have yet to be released.
