Until now, many people believed that although China would overtake Europe in electric drive, the classic car manufacturers were unbeatable in conventional engines. Well, this seems to be becoming less and less the case, and it can be disproved with a Mercedes made in Hungary, for example.
According to CarNewsChina, the third generation of the soon-to-be-renewed Mercedes-Benz CLA model will bring significant changes to its engine bay. A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit jointly developed by one of Mercedes’ major investors, Geely of China, and Horse Powertrain Limited will be fitted.
The engine, which was the result of a 2024 Geely-Renault collaboration, will offer 250bhp of power and 360Nm of maximum torque and looks set to be used in Mercedes cars.
Other Chinese technologies have also been used in the development of the CLA. Mercedes is working with local company Momenta to integrate intelligent driving solutions into the model, including urban driving functions. The Momenta startup was founded in 2016, and Mercedes-Benz was an early investor.
read also: Mercedes-Benz celebrates 2 millionth car produced at Kecskemét plant in Hungary
The CLA will be available with a conventional powertrain and a fully electric version. The electric CLA version will feature a 175 kW rear electric motor and an 89.6 kWh battery pack, providing a range of 750 km according to the Chinese WLTC standard. Built on an all-new platform, the Mercedes model has an 800 V architecture that allows for high-speed charging: it can generate enough power for up to 400 km in just 15 minutes.
The new model, which will also be produced at the Kecskemét plant, will premiere in Hungary in 2025. The mild hybrid version is likely to go on sale in 2026, further expanding the Mercedes-Benz range.