German legacy automaker Mercedes-Benz is gearing up to challenge the dominance of the Tesla Model Y crossover and Model 3 sedan with its upcoming CLA EVs.
Mercedes-Benz to launch new CLA EVs starting 2025
Mercedes-Benz will launch an all-electric version of its four-door CLA coupe in the US in late 2025 and a similar crossover sometime in the first half of 2026, Automotive News reports.
These upcoming CLA EVs will directly target Tesla’s best sellers in the US market, marking the “first in a fleet of next-generation EVs” in Mercedes-Benz’s EV lineup.
CLA electric sedan
Mercedes-Benz introduced the sedan version with the Concept CLA-Class in September 2023, featuring an elegant, sporty 4-door with coupe-like lines and an all-glass roof.
At the time, the German automaker claimed it could deliver up to 400 miles of driving range on a single charge. It rides on the new ultra-efficient MMA platform, which stemmed from its Vision EQXX concept.
As the report claimed, the new electric Mercedes CLA will hit the US market in late 2025, with production starting in Germany in October 2025.
CLA electric crossover
Mercedes-Benz’s Tesla Model Y challenger is expected to follow in early 2026, potentially succeeding the EQB as the brand seeks to attract younger buyers.
Codenamed “X174,” the electric crossover variant will also use the new MMA platform alongside four new entry-level EVs, including a wagon, a coupe, and two crossovers.
Remarkably, the CLA is already drawing in new customers, as one Mercedes dealer disclosed that more than half of interested buyers are new to the brand.
The unnamed dealer further told the industry publication that the CLA’s crossover version “would give Mercedes a price-competitive answer to Tesla — and potential Chinese automakers — in a segment dominating 80 percent of new-car sales in North America.”
Mercedes-Benz expects the new MMA platform to help it remain competitive against market leaders Tesla and Chinese players like BYD. The German automaker’s move mirrors similar strategies of other major OEMs, including Ford.
The no. 2 American EV brand is also currently developing a new electric vehicle platform to spawn lower-cost EVs to catch up with the Musk-led company. Ford CEO Jim Farley has reiterated that Tesla and Chinese electric automakers are still the ultimate competition.
With its upcoming CLA EV models, Mercedes-Benz is poised to meet the growing demand for affordable yet high-quality electric vehicles.
