It has 670 horses.
Electric ones, obviously.
Mercedes-AMG finally pulled the veil off the all-electric CLA45.
No turbocharged four-cylinder.
Gone.
Replaced by a trio of axial-flux motors that scream across all wheels. Two in the back, one in the front.
A proper layout.
This isn’t just a facelift.
It is the spiritual successor to the internal-combustion second generation, which bowed out with the Final Edition last year.
That last gasp made 416 horsepower and looked sad wearing special graphics.
This new thing?
It looks like what you ordered.
And it comes as a sedan or the more desirable Shooting Brake wagon.
Here is the kicker though.
We are not getting it.
Mercedes confirmed it.
No United States sales.
Sorry.
Admire it from afar?
Yes.
Drive it on your street?
Nope.
Power is still power
Let’s talk about the numbers since that’s why AMG exists.
The system makes 670 peak horsepower for brief, glorious moments.
Continuous output settles at 603.
Still impressive.
This power sends the EV to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.7 seconds.
A full second faster than the final ICE model.
Though fair to remember, that ICE model only made 382 ponies at the time we tested it.
Context matters.
Does it change the feel?
We don’t know.
Top speed depends on how much you tip the extra dollar for options.
155 mph standard.
167 mph with the Dynamic Plus Package.
Not slow.
Mercedes knows engines sound better than fans spinning quietly.
They know.
So they recorded actual AMG four-cylinders.
Lots of scenarios.
Over 1,600 audio files.
Plus seat vibrations.
Fake gear shifts.
It’s theater.
Bad theater?
Maybe.
Or just necessary magic.
Would you want an AMG without noise?
Debatable.
Range and reality
The battery pack sits under the floor.
94 kilowatts.
It feeds the hungry motors.
Official European WLTP range claims hit 416 miles for the sedan.
The Shooting Brake gets slightly less at 397.
Let’s be realistic.
EPA numbers?
Likely closer to 350.
Maybe 340 for the wagon.
Better than the Model Y Performance, sure.
Worse than some rivals.
It’s decent.
Charging isn’t painful.
330 kilowatts peak speed.
10% to 80% in 22 minutes.
That is the sweet spot.
Enough to grab coffee.
Maybe a sandwich if you order fast.
The CLA45 EV proves AMG can transition. It just has to leave some customers behind in the process.
So we wait.
The more economical EVs in the CLA family might come.
But not this one.
The loud one.
The fast one.
It stays on European roads.
For now.
