Mercedes-Benz CLA as a highly efficient electric vehicle

How many kilometers can a fully electric CLA cover within 24 hours, including charging stops and driver changes, wondered the development team as part of the efficiency optimization of the new fully electric entry-level models. The impressive answer was provided by 'Project N,' the internal codename for an equally secret and ambitious project. N for Nardò: With two production-like prototypes of the CLA, it headed to this southern Italian high-speed track in early April 2024. A CLA covered exactly 3,717 kilometers there within 24 hours - further than other production-like electric vehicles. The distance of the endurance run corresponds to the distance from Trondheim (Norway) to Istanbul (Turkey). The temperatures ranged from 13 degrees Celsius at night to 29 degrees Celsius during the day - in the air, the asphalt was even hotter. During the 24-hour test, the vehicle's battery was charged 40 times at a standard charging station. The charging breaks lasted only about ten minutes each. Taking these into account, the average speed was a remarkable 154.9 km/h. Prior to the journey, the experts at Mercedes-Benz had determined the ideal charging strategy to maximize the average speed. During a real long-distance trip, this optimization takes place via navigation with Electric Intelligence.