How Mercedes' MMA Platform Redefines Electrification

Mercedes' 2027 CLA shows how the road to electrification won’t be one-size-fits-all. Built on the brand’s new MMA architecture, the CLA can be produced as a full EV or a mild hybrid with near-identical hardware and design—letting Mercedes flex production based on real-world demand. The hybrid pairs a Miller-cycle 1.5L turbo engine with an integrated e-motor and clever clutching that enables seamless coasting for efficiency, even if performance purists may notice some lag. On snow-covered Alpine roads and at autobahn speeds, the chassis shines, underscoring Mercedes' bet that smart platforms, not just batteries, will define the next phase of electrification.

Transcript

00:00:01 This is the 2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA. I'm here in the Austrian Alps to drive this vehicle. And if you're thinking to yourself, "Well, cool. He's driving a new EV." Nope. This is actually the CLA hybrid. Thanks to Mercedes new MMA architecture, they can build ex almost the exact same car on either a gas platform or an EV platform.
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00:00:32
>> Under the hood sits a modified turbocharged 1.5 L inline 4 motor. The motor itself uses a Miller cycle for combustion. In that cycle, as the piston comes down, the air intake valve closes relatively sooner than in a typical engine. This creates a high 12:1 compression ratio. It's paired with a turbocharger and a 30 horsepower electric motor situated in the

00:00:56 dualclutch 8-speed transmission. Take that all together and the vehicle outputs 28 horsepower and 280 lb feet of torque. Behind the wheel, you can really tell that this vehicle is built for efficiency. You know that Miller cycle essentially built for additional efficiency. Yes, they've added the turbochargers to sort of help that out, but a turbo is a turbo, which

00:01:19 means you have turbo lag. And I would have thought that the inclusion of that electric motor in the transmission would have made a difference, but it kind of doesn't. And this only happens when you are trying to essentially come out of a corner very quickly. You come into the corner, you pull out, you really got to put the hammer down in order to get the engine to engage and

00:01:40 get and move forward. there is a a bit of a lag that anyone who drives this vehicle who's looking for more spirited driving, you're going to be a little disappointed until you learn how to really put that hammer down earlier than you would in another vehicle. One thing you can do is while there are no paddle shifters, which I think is a mistake, you can use the actual shift stock to

00:02:05 shift uh gears. The problem is is that when I pull back it instead of going faster, you you typically on your right hand side, you pull back on paddle shifters to go up to the next uh gear. Uh this one is different. You have to push forward to the next gear. And I didn't realize that I was doing it wrong until my co-driver pointed out. They're like, "Yeah, you

00:02:28 were you were doing it the wrong way." Because I'm so used to with your right hand with pedal shifters, you pull back in order to, you know, go faster. and and this with this setup, it you you just can't do that. It's very weird. And I'm assuming 99% of people who drive this vehicle will never use that uh stock in order to shift gears manually.

00:02:49 While the powertrain can be tricky, the chassis control is topnotch. This was made more apparent on a closed, snowy alpine road in the Austrian Alps. The vehicle handled tight switchbacks without issue, and we were encouraged to push it coming out of corners to engage over steer. The stability of the vehicle is made even more apparent during high speeds on the autobond, and the vehicle

00:03:12 steering was tight without being twitchy. The powertrain also does a fun thing with a third clutch in the transmission. The motor will detach from the wheels and allow the vehicle to glide, which increases the vehicle's efficiency. When the accelerator was depressed, I really didn't notice any difference in how the vehicle performed. The engagement and disengagement of the

00:03:32 clutch is that quick and seamless.
>> Visually, it's difficult to determine well whether or not someone's driving the hybrid CLA or the EV CLA. And that a lot of that has to do with the MMA, the Mercedes modular architecture platform because they've created the platform so that they can build vehicles regardless of powertrain based on customer demand. So if CLA comes out and most

00:03:57 people want an EV, they're going to build a lot of EVs. The CLA comes out and most people want a hybrid, they're going to build a lot of hybrids. As for the incar infotainment, you do have, you know, a very easy to read dash cluster. Uh, it's very traditional, which I am a fan of. I don't need weird crazy uh space age graphics in order to tell

00:04:17 me how fast I'm going and what my RPMs are. Um, I am a big fan of the uh MBUX MBUX uh infotainment system because it just shows you the map and then a bunch of little widgets for the things you want to do. Um, that's it. It's the CLA does have the passenger screen which uh in the United States I have not encountered anyone who actually will use that

00:04:41 screen. I think everyone I show that screen to excited about it for about 2 minutes and then immediately pick up their phones. I have heard that in China that it it is a very big deal. So, if you're building a, you know, a car for the world, you know, if one of the largest market and and emerging markets wants a passenger screen, you you put a passenger screen

00:05:05 in your car. While I am sad that there are no uh climate control physical buttons, everything is in the screen. I am happy that there are physical buttons. There's a rocker button on the left and a roller button on the right on the steering wheel to you know on the right adjust your volume on the left to adjust your

00:05:30 uh adaptive cruise control. Uh the seats themselves pretty comfy. We've been driving in this car for for you know for a few days for uh long periods of time. Um yeah, nice comfy uh back seats. Uh tall person don't sit in the back seat. That's what I have to tell you. Um, I'm sure if you're shorter than me, it's a very comfortable experience. Um, I would not

00:05:54 be back there longer than 30 minutes if I could help it. The 2027 Mercedes-Benz CL8 will be available in the second half of 2026. So whether you're looking for an electric version or this mild hybrid, Mercedes-Benz has got you covered. For more automotive coverage, be sure to subscribe to SAE International.