Mercedes-Benz has started pre-sales in China for its all-new fully electric CLA sedan, while announcing a collaboration with Chinese startup Momenta to co-develop advanced driving assistance systems.
The CLA 300 L, offered in two pre-sale versions, is priced from 259,000 yuan ($36,340) to 299,000 yuan. Built on the company’s Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, the sedan measures 4,763 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,830 mm.
It features an 89-kWh ternary lithium battery and an 800-volt electrical platform, delivering up to 866 km of CLTC-certified range at an energy consumption of 10.9 kWh per 100 km. Fast charging enables 370 km of driving range in 10 minutes.
The model is positioned among the longest-range EVs in the Chinese market, surpassing Tesla’s recently launched Model 3 variant with an 830 km CLTC range. Inside, the CLA is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295 chip and a virtual assistant powered by Doubao, a subsidiary of ByteDance.
Mercedes-Benz said its partnership with Momenta will focus on developing a smart driving assistance system based on Momenta’s Flywheel large language model. The system, to be deployed in locally produced CLA units this fall, will provide assistance across highways, urban driving and parking.
The launch follows earlier production delays, reported by local media as linked to software development challenges. Mercedes-Benz has expanded its digital research and development center in Shanghai, where a team of several hundred engineers is working on electronic architectures, intelligent cockpits and autonomous driving solutions to strengthen its foothold in China’s fast-growing EV market.