Electric Variant of the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Spied With Even More Revealing Camouflage

We've seen prototypes of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA for almost two years already and were also treated to a nearly full disclosure with the CLA Concept unveiled during the 2023 IAA in Munich. This makes it harder for Mercedes-Benz to justify the secrecy surrounding its upcoming compact sedan. Indeed, the German carmaker appears to have come to the same conclusion, as we've seen the 2026 CLA dropping more camo in December.

The first to do so was the combustion-engine variant, which our photographers snapped in mid-December as a white prototype. As expected, the ICE CLA will still have a grille, whereas the all-electric variant will sport a sealed front fascia. To be fair, I like the red EV variant better, and not just for its colorful appearance. The all-electric CLA is a major bet for Mercedes-Benz and will introduce some cutting-edge technologies badly needed to accelerate EV adoption.

Indeed, the EV development appeared to have stalled as Tesla moved its focus to autonomous driving, and other carmakers took this as a hint that "business as usual" would be the best choice. However, Mercedes-Benz has reserved some nice surprises for the CLA EV, considering that it aims for the best powertrain efficiency in the industry with a target of 12 kWh/100 km (193 Wh/mi or 5.2 mi/kWh). This surpasses the current record holder, Lucid Air, which boasts 5 miles per kWh.

This impressive efficiency comes from new drive units that entered production after being polished during the Vision EQXX program. Mercedes-Benz follows a similar recipe as the Porsche Taycan, using a two-speed transmission for improved performance at higher speeds. We know the AMG variants will sport YASA axial flux motors, but whether these will make it to the regular CLA EV trims is unclear.

Two battery packs will be offered, and one of them will also push the envelope of energy density and fast charging thanks to its silicon anode tech. Mercedes-Benz promised 680 Wh per liter at cell level, with a total pack capacity of 85 kWh. Considering the overall efficiency of the CLA EV, this should be enough for about 750 km (466 miles) of range on a single charge when counted by the European WLTP standard. The NCM pack will also support 320-kW DC fast charging, adding up to 300 km (186 miles) of range in 10 minutes of charging. The second battery option uses lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry for 58 kWh of capacity.

The red prototype in the pictures reveals that Mercedes-Benz will make its three-pointed star the dominant design motif. The light signature front and rear will benefit from this change, as seen on the CLA Concept in 2023. Eventually, these DRL lights will spread to bigger Mercedes-Benz models, but we will remember that the CLA was the one that started it all.