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The 2026 Mercedes CLA EV gets true one-pedal driving
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Mercedes focused on efficiency and power recovery with the CLA EV
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Mercedes hasn't said how much the 2026 CLA EV will cost; will start in 2025
Until now, many automakers have opted to ditch regenerative braking in EVs due to concerns about stability on slippery roads.
Mercedes-Benz is breaking away from that thinking for its upcoming EVs, starting with a next-generation lineup of EVs starting with the CLA EV.
During a short trip to a 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV prototype in the Austrian Alps, Timo Stegmaier, Mercedes' senior manager of electric drive systems, and Tom Steller, a spokesman for the automaker, demonstrated the braking and power systems of the next-generation EV in a situation close to a white storm.
Here's what I learned.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV prototype
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV focuses on one-pedal driving
The Mercedes team emphasized that they have heard feedback from customers and media alike, loud and clear, about the EQE and EQS EV brake systems and their dynamic range and unpredictably varied feel.
They started out as the worst brakes on the market and, with a software update, they've become… welcome. That won't be the case with the CLA EV, I'm told. In November, Mercedes engineers confirmed to Green Car Reports that the CLA EV's brake will not move unless the driver touches it.
The CLA EV will have it three ways to renew the brakes including D-, D, and D+. The fourth bonus mode will be D Auto. Full pedal max regen kicks in D mode, which we used all prototype drive, and some later lower regen.
ID Auto mode automatically adjusts the regenerative braking system according to conditions. Of 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 53 Hybridfor example, it is tied to adaptive cruise control and safety systems for full flexibility. It is not consistent or predictable. But it is not yet clear how D Auto works in the CLA EV.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV prototype
The mountain roads were covered with snow upon black snow. No matter how quickly Stegmaier chose the most aggressive brake regen with D-, and lowered the accelerator, but the Michelin Alpin 5 winter tires did not seem to break. The regenerative braking system used the next-generation electric MMA PCU and ECUs to react quickly and adjust accordingly. The car went straight under the brake and the mid-turn did not change its composure. Very impressive. Some people are not smooth in these situations.
For reference, the Snow or Winter or Smooth drive modes on almost all EVs sold today generally reduce or disable regenerative braking. This is to ensure that the tires do not cut and the vehicle remains stable on slippery surfaces.
A Mercedes spokesperson told GCR that Stegmaier's proposal to use greater recovery in slippery conditions is specific to the CLA EV due to the use of next-generation sensors. The system in the CLA is designed to automatically adapt to road conditions, improving safety and efficiency at the same time. What I've seen does just that.
The EQE and EQS series use different platforms, electrical architectures, and sensor packages as well as control systems and software. These current EVs handle handling and braking differently, and are not focused on maximizing recovery or real-time efficiency.
CLA knows it 200 kw recovery before you engage the friction brakes. Stegmaier told me that the CLA EV prototype did not use the collision brakes during our drive. Impressive.
That power goes back to an 85.0-kwh (usable) battery pack with an 800-volt electrical architecture. Mercedes claims that fast charging will be up to 320 kw and the CLA EV will be able to add 186 kilometers of range in 10 minutes. That starts at a 10% state of charge, and translates to about 36 kwh of power. Charging from 10-80% will take less than 22 minutes. There will also be an internal 11.0-kwh charger for Level 2 AC charging.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV prototype
The 2026 CLA EV feels fast, comfortable, and planted
When Stegmaier put the accelerator down the tires did not spin. The CLA EV prototype shot forward, but given the circumstances the engineer didn't keep the pedal buried for long. The car stayed forward despite the slippery surface, I didn't notice the steering pull anywhere, and it seems, the electric power adjusted the power in real time due to the conditions.
The double-motor prototype has Mercedes' new EDU 2.0 (Electronic Drive Unit 2.0) hardware under its metal skin, including silicon-carbide converters. The rear engine is a 268-hp synchronous motor (PSM) paired with a 107-hp front engine. I couldn't tell if the front engine was on or off, but given the conditions it's hard to imagine that it hadn't been on for a long time.
Mercedes never mentioned performance, but a 0-60 mph time in the low 4-second range seems about right. Single car models will slow down and burn out AMG models quickly.
Out of a single switch corner Stegmaier deliberately hung the tail in time, feeling from the passenger seat that the torque was controlled in part by soft inputs from the driver.
The new in-house designed 2-speed automatic transmission engine may shift to second gear to soften the torque delivery. The unit is capable of staying in first gear up to 68 mph, but varies depending on conditions and needs. It was smooth and with a hot storm there was a lot to take in quickly.
The prototype rode with a normal (inactive) suspension, which was comfortable, compliant, and controlled. Stegmaier didn't talk about details and didn't say whether the top trims or AMG models would offer dynamic dampers, but the prototype I rode was just as comfortable, if not more so, than the larger C300 I recently tested.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV prototype
2026 Mercedes-Benz EV charts its course
The exterior of the CLA EV was completely covered in camo, but it looked distinctly like a first-look concept the next-gen EV in 2023. It's down to the stars in the LED headlights and taillights.
The inside of the dashboard and doors were covered in black cloth. Mercifully, Mercedes asked me not to comment on the little I saw or touched. But I can say that the dashboard looks completely different than today's EQE and EQS system. The overboard yacht setup is gone. The dashboard looks short and austere compared to the cowl. It reminded me of the Mercedes 190E and W126 S-Class from the '80s and '90s, or the G-Class of today.
Mercedes didn't let me get behind the wheel of the CLA, and my time in and around it was short. Still, what I saw, saw, and heard proves that Mercedes is listening to feedback about its current EVs, focusing on efficiency, and aiming to make the 2026 CLA EV the first of its next-generation electric vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz paid for the trip, lodging, and I'm shocked I didn't freeze during the snow to bring you this review in person.