Mercedes-Benz has made an important decision regarding the charging infrastructure of the electric CLA model. The vehicle, which was previously announced to support only the 800-volt fast charging infrastructure, will become compatible with 400 volts as of 2026. With this change, the company aims to prevent difficulties in use in the US market.

Mercedes solves the charging crisis in the electric CLA

The first versions of the electric CLA will be available in the US at the end of 2025. However, these models were designed to be compatible only with 800V charging systems. The charging infrastructure common in the US is mostly based on 400V systems. This situation has made Mercedes the target of criticism.

The company management backed down after the reactions. The electric CLA models to be produced and delivered starting in 2026 will have a voltage converter that works with both 800V and 400V charging systems. Thus, vehicles can be charged without any problems at stations with different infrastructures.

The company made this choice to showcase the capabilities of its new generation MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) electric vehicle platform. Thanks to the 800V infrastructure, the electric CLA can provide fast charging support up to 320 kW.

This system can provide a range of approximately 325 kilometers with just 10 minutes of charging. However, this technology did not meet the expectations from users due to infrastructure deficiencies. Therefore, Mercedes decided to update its strategy by taking into account the current infrastructure situation.

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