Superfast Charging Benz EV Ambitious CLA..Severe charging problems found
May 15, 2025
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Fast charging only works with 800V fast chargers. In other words, it is not compatible with most public fast chargers in the United States, which typically operate at 400V. The issue, first discovered by Norwegian EV experts, was later confirmed by Mercedes officials in Europe and the United States.
Mercedes has decided to completely rule out 400V DC charging to avoid performance degradation.But this severely limits where U.S. drivers can actually fast-charge their vehicles. More confusingly, the CLA EV is equipped with a Tesla-designed NACS charging port.
Despite this design, however, Tesla Superchargers are not available in the United States.At least for now, none of the charging stations support 800V charging. Mercedes has fitted the J1772 connector to the vehicle for low-speed AC charging at home or at work to address this issue.
But unfortunately, the NACS port on the CLA does not support AC charging. After all, Tesla's extensive destination charger network is also unavailable.Therefore, vehicle owners must use J1772 connectors for low-speed charging or, relatively rarely, find an 800V fast charging station equipped with CCS1.
Other electric vehicles that support 800V charging, such as the Porsche Taycan, Lucid Air, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5, can be charged at older 400V charging stations. Of course, the charging speed is slow.
These alternatives play an important role in reducing the stress of electric vehicle ownership, especially when driving long distances.Mercedes expects charging companies to quickly build enough 800V infrastructure to solve the problem.
Some progress is currently being made.Electrify America is building a 1000V charging network, but so far, there are many shortcomings.
Mercedes is positioning the CLA EV as a future-oriented and efficient entry electric vehicle for a new era.The specifications are reasonable by Mercedes, stylish design, and fast charging speed that cannot be compared to other models are impressive.
However, by abandoning compatibility with 400V chargers, Mercedes Benz seems inevitable to hit CLA sales in the U.S. market.
The new CLA is currently open to the public in Europe. It is expected to be introduced in Korea by the end of this year. The release date is undecided and 400V cannot be charged, which will have a significant impact on domestic sales.
Editor Song Moon-cheol mc.song@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
