It’s a 1.5-liter four-cylinder called the M252, which is related to Mercedes’ larger 3.0-liter straight-six, the M256, but its focus is purely on efficiency. It meets the stringent new EU7 emissions standard, which will be enforced starting in 2026, which aside from exhaust will also take tire and brake emissions into account.

Mercedes-Benz just released an inside look at its upcoming EV tech. Here is how those changes can make Mercedes a major player in the EV space.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is poised to vault from the bottom of the lineup to the pinnacle, at least in terms of powertrain tech, when the next-generation model goes on sale next year. The first model on the new Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) introduces an 800-volt battery pack that unlocks blazing fast charging,

One of the prototypes covered 2,309 miles in 24 hours, topping the previous record set in 2019 when a Porsche Taycan drove 2,128 miles in 24 hours. This includes charging stops, of course. Thanks to its 800-volt traction battery and 320-kilowatt maximum charging rate, the CLA EV prototype needed to stop 40 times to recharge its battery.

Class lays the groundwork for the automaker’s future, while a hybrid provides a stepping stone for wary customers.

Mercedes-Benz intends to become a fully electric automaker someday, and the next CLA will bring that objective a little closer. To be available as both an EV and a hybrid, the next CLA will be built atop the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA),

And it will preview new 48-volt hybrid technology coming to future Mercedes models. The upcoming CLA Class will be the first model to showcase the new EV and 48-volt hybrid powertrains coming to future Mercedes-Benz vehicles.