Mercedes-AMG has turned its long-running CLA 45 hot compact into a fully electric performance flagship, and order books for the 2026 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ opened on August 27, 2026. Gone is the turbocharged four-cylinder that defined the nameplate since 2013 — in its place sit three independent axial-flux electric motors producing a combined 500 kW (680 PS / 671 hp) and 1,759 Nm of torque, driving all four wheels through AMG's 4MATIC+ system. The car is offered as a four-door Sedan and a Shooting Brake wagon, both built on Mercedes' new 800-volt electric architecture with a 94 kWh usable battery. Just weeks before order books opened, an AMG development driver used the CLA 45 to set a 7:32.070-minute lap of the Nurburgring Nordschleife, a segment record for compact performance sedans. Pricing in Germany starts at €79,039 (incl. VAT) for the Sedan and €66,420 (ex-VAT), positioning the car as AMG's technology showcase for what an electric "45" can be.
Performance & Specs
The heart of the new CLA 45 is its tri-motor layout: one axial-flux motor drives the front axle and two more drive the rear axle independently, letting AMG's software vector torque side-to-side on corner exit the way a mechanical limited-slip differential never could. Axial-flux motors pack their windings in a flat disc rather than a cylinder, which is why AMG could fit three of them into a compact sedan without stealing cabin space. Combined output is 500 kW (680 PS / 671 hp) with 1,759 Nm of torque, enough for 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds using AMG's 1-foot rollout method (3.0 seconds from a dead stop). Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h, rising to 270 km/h with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package. AMG RIDE CONTROL adaptive three-way dampers, active aerodynamics with a deployable rear wing and shutter grille, and a Predictive Performance Manager that reads navigation data to plan energy use all carry over from AMG's combustion-engine playbook into the electric era.
| Powertrain | Tri-motor AWD BEV (1 front + 2 rear axial-flux motors) |
|---|---|
| Power | 500 kW (680 PS / 671 hp) |
| Torque | 1,759 Nm |
| 0–100 km/h | 2.7 s |
| Battery | 94 kWh usable |
| Range | 670 km (WLTP, Sedan) |
| POWERTRAIN TYPE | Battery-electric (BEV) |
|---|---|
| HORSEPOWER | 671 hp (500 kW / 680 PS) |
| ACCELERATION | 2.7 s (0-100 km/h, 1-foot rollout) |
| TOP SPEED | 250 km/h (270 km/h with AMG Dynamic Plus package) |
| DRIVETRAIN | AWD (4MATIC+, tri-motor) |
| BATTERY | 94 kWh usable, 800V |
| ELECTRIC RANGE | 670 km WLTP (Sedan), 640 km WLTP (Shooting Brake) |
Dimensions & Practicality
| Length | 4,723 mm |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,859 mm (2,021 mm w/ mirrors) |
| Height | 1,468 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,790 mm |
The electric CLA 45 rides on the same compact platform as the standard CLA, so it is only a fraction longer and no wider than the outgoing combustion-engined car despite hiding a much bigger battery beneath the floor. Curb weight lands around 2,355 kg, roughly 500-600 kg more than the old turbo-four CLA 45, most of it low in the chassis where it helps handling rather than hurting it. The Sedan carries a rated 405-litre boot plus a roughly 100-litre front trunk under the hood for charging cables, while the longer-roofed Shooting Brake adds about 60 litres of usable cargo space behind the rear seats and opens up to roughly 1,290 litres with the rear bench folded flat. Both bodies wear 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels as standard, with 20-inch forged Interlagos-style wheels available as an option.
| LENGTH | 4,723 mm |
|---|---|
| WIDTH | 1,859 mm (2,021 mm incl. mirrors) |
| HEIGHT | 1,468 mm |
| WHEELBASE | 2,790 mm |
| CARGO VOLUME | 405 L (Sedan) / ~465 L (Shooting Brake, ~1,290 L seats folded) |
| FRUNK | ~100 L |
Charging & Battery
Like the rest of the new-generation CLA family, the AMG 45 uses Mercedes' 800-volt electrical architecture, which allows for higher DC charging rates without the heavier cabling a 400-volt system would need. The 94 kWh usable lithium-ion battery accepts up to 330 kW on a DC fast charger, enough to go from 10 to 80 percent state of charge in about 22 minutes, or to add roughly 270 km of range from just a 10-minute stop. AC home charging tops out at 11 kW on a Type 2 connector, which fills the pack from empty in around nine hours on a wallbox. Mercedes rates official WLTP energy consumption at 16.5-18.7 kWh/100 km for the Sedan and 17.4-19.6 kWh/100 km for the heavier, less aerodynamic Shooting Brake, with both cars posting 0 g/km CO2 emissions and a CO2 class of A.
| BATTERY | 94 kWh usable, liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 800V |
|---|---|
| AC CHARGING | 11 kW (Type 2) |
| DC FAST CHARGING | up to 330 kW |
| DC 10-80% TIME | ~22 min |
Design & Interior
Visually, the electric CLA 45 keeps the aggressive AMG cues buyers expect: a panel-look AMG grille with illuminated star, wide front air intakes, flared fenders and a Panamericana-style vertical-slat treatment carried over from the combustion cars, plus a fixed rear spoiler that works with the active wing for downforce at speed. AMG showed the car in a matte black Sedan and a sage-green Shooting Brake at its unveiling, both riding on the standard 19-inch or optional 20-inch AMG wheels with visible red-painted brake calipers. Inside, the cabin swaps the old car's analogue AMG toggle switches for a digital-first layout built around a 10.25-inch driver display, a 14-inch central touchscreen and an optional 14-inch front-passenger display, all wrapped in Nappa leather and microfiber trim on the AMG Performance seats and steering wheel. AMG's signature touch is on the electric drivetrain itself: engineers recorded roughly 1,600 audio files from a real AMG four-cylinder engine using 13 microphones, then built a synthesized AMG Sound Experience that plays through the speakers together with seat-mounted shakers that mimic combustion-engine vibration, all switched off automatically the moment the driver selects the track-focused Race mode.
Technology & Features
The new CLA family debuts Mercedes' fourth-generation MBUX software running on the automaker's in-house MB.OS operating system, which for the first time blends Microsoft's and Google's AI assistants into the same voice and chat interface rather than relying on a single third-party partner. On top of the synthesized engine note described above, AMG also programmed simulated multi-speed gearshifts into the CLA 45's software: the car briefly interrupts torque delivery and shows a gear-change animation on the driver display in sportier drive modes, echoing how a dual-clutch transmission feels, a trick first seen on the AMG GT 4-Door electric. A head-up display, over-the-air update capability and a Predictive Performance Manager that pre-conditions the battery and plans regenerative braking around upcoming corners and elevation changes round out the software side of the car.
Safety & ADAS
The CLA 45's driver-assistance suite is built around five radar sensors, eight cameras and twelve ultrasonic sensors, covering automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition and adaptive high-beam control. Mercedes also carries over the standard CLA's new center airbag, mounted in the driver's seat backrest to cushion against a passenger-side occupant in a side impact, a feature not yet common in this segment. Because the CLA 45 carries a high-voltage battery, it also gets a multi-stage high-voltage protection system with eight separate safety elements, including both reversible and irreversible automatic shutdown modes and a reverse-isolation measurement routine that checks the battery is safe after even a minor accident.
| ADAS LEVEL | L2 driver-assistance suite |
|---|---|
| ADAS FEATURES | AEB, lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign assistant, adaptive high beam, pedestrian detection |
Available Versions
| VERSION | POWER | TORQUE | 0-100 | TOP SPEED | DRIVETRAIN | BATTERY | EV RANGE | COMBINED RANGE | PRICE | KEY DIFFERENCES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | 671 hp | 1,759 Nm | 2.7 s | 250 km/h | AWD | 94 kWh | 670 km | — | €79,039 | 405 L boot, lowest curb weight and best range in the lineup |
| Shooting Brake | 671 hp | 1,759 Nm | 2.7 s | 250 km/h | AWD | 94 kWh | 640 km | — | €80,408 | Wagon body, ~465 L boot (~1,290 L seats folded) |
Pricing & Availability
Order books for the 2026 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ opened at dealers and online on August 27, 2026, with German pricing set at €66,420 excluding VAT (€79,039 including VAT) for the Sedan and €67,570 excluding VAT (€80,408 including VAT) for the Shooting Brake. Mercedes-AMG has confirmed the car for European markets, following its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2026 and its Nurburgring record run shortly after. The standard, non-AMG electric CLA (250+ and 350 4MATIC) is already on sale in the United States from $47,250, but Mercedes representatives have told press that this high-performance AMG 45 version specifically is not planned for the US market, citing a mix of softer American EV demand and pricing that would be difficult to justify there. First European deliveries are expected to follow the standard CLA rollout pattern into late 2026 and early 2027.
How It Compares
On raw power, the CLA 45 lands almost exactly between the Tesla Model S (670 hp) and the flagship NIO ET9 (697 hp), but both of those rivals are full-size luxury sedans that cost 30-50 percent more once converted from their home-market pricing. That makes the compact, track-honed CLA 45 the more focused driver's car of the three, with AMG-specific hardware like adaptive dampers and active aero that neither generalist EV offers. The ZEEKR 007 GT is the sharpest value contrast: for barely a third of the CLA 45's price, it matches it almost power-for-power and range-for-range, though it lacks AMG's badge, chassis tuning pedigree and the Nurburgring credentials that come with three generations of "45" engineering behind it. Buyers cross-shopping this segment are really choosing between AMG's motorsport-derived character, Tesla's software ecosystem, or the NIO/ZEEKR pairing's sheer spec-sheet value.
- 671 hp and a genuine Nurburgring segment record prove the tri-motor axial-flux setup is more than a marketing exercise
- 800V architecture with 330 kW DC charging and 670 km WLTP range solve the two biggest complaints about performance EVs
- Synthesized AMG Sound Experience and simulated gearshifts give the electric drivetrain genuine driver-engagement character missing from most EV rivals
- Not confirmed for the US market, shutting out American AMG buyers who want the performance flagship rather than the base electric CLA
- At roughly €79,000-€80,000 before options, it costs far more than Chinese rivals offering similar power and range
The electric Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ is for buyers who want AMG's motorsport identity to survive the switch to batteries, not just get diluted by it. Three axial-flux motors, adaptive dampers, active aerodynamics and a synthesized soundtrack add up to a car that drives like an AMG should, backed up by a genuine Nurburgring record rather than a marketing claim. The trade-offs are real: it is not coming to the US, and its European pricing puts it well above Chinese EVs with comparable numbers on paper. But for a European buyer who cross-shops a Tesla Model S or a BMW i5 M60 and wants something smaller, sharper and more overtly performance-focused, this is one of the most credible electric AMGs yet built.
