Mercedes is engaged on a brand new platform known as MMA for fashions smaller than the present era C-Class, designed primarily for electrical propulsion however which may additionally accommodate the brand new era of inside combustion engines. Electrical variations will use the brand new, cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate battery. A number of fashions will probably be developed on the MMA platform and electrical Mercedes CLA would be the first one in 2024.
On the shareholder assembly on 6 October 2020, Mercedes introduced the MMA platform for compact and mid-size fashions (from compact as much as the C-Class) with oil-cooled synchronous electrical motors, a two-speed gearbox, and an 800V community for quick charging.
In response to Markus Schafer, head of growth at Mercedes, the MMA platform has been developed “electrical first” however will have the ability to use an inside combustion engine as a variety extender in international locations the place the charging community will not be sufficiently developed. On the presentation of the MMA platform, it was made very clear that there’s area for an inside combustion engine within the entrance.
The combustion engines will come from the brand new cooperation between Mercedes and Geely began within the autumn of 2020. They may have 3- and 4-cylinder configurations and might be put in each transversely and longitudinally which implies they’re appropriate for each the compact vary and the C-Class. The brand new engines will exchange the powertrains provided by Renault.
Then, in Could 2022, Mercedes formally introduced that the primary mannequin on the MMA platform would be the third era CLA, which could have each electrical and plug-in Hybrid variations and can debut in 2024. The upcoming electrical CLA may also take design components from the Mercedes EQXX idea famous for its distinctive aerodynamics.
Just a few days in the past at a vendor occasion in Vancouver, Canada, Dimitris Psillakis, Mercedes USA CEO, reconfirmed that the Mercedes CLA will probably be the primary electrical mannequin on the MMA platform and that the second mannequin will probably be an electrical crossover with the scale of the GLC (successor to the EQC??).
The MMA platform may also underpin the longer term Mercedes EQA and EQB generations. These will obtain a facelift later this 12 months and can proceed on the traditional MFA II platform till 2025 when will changed with a brand new era.
Because the A-Class sedan will dissapear on the finish of the cureent lifecycle in 2025, Mercedes is contemplating a sedan SUV model, a so-called SUL (Sport Utility Limousine). The B-Class may also disappear as a result of prospects favor SUVs to minivans.
So, the longer term compact vary will consist in the way forward for the CLA, EQA/GLA, and EQB/GLB. For China, there will probably be long-wheelbase variations of the CLA Coupe and GLB.
Mercedes introduced that the longer term compact vary could have solely 4 fashions with out specifying them clearly. On the time, it regarded just like the 4 fashions can be CLA, GLA, GLB, and CLA Taking pictures Brake. But it surely appears like Mercedes will drop the CLA Taking pictures Brake which could solely be supplied in China and hold the A-Class hatchback.
Though it’s a premium producer, price strain is large within the electrical section and Ola Kallenius, Mercedes CEO, confirmed in an interview as early as October 2021 that Mercedes may also use cheaper Lithium-iron phosphate batteries on the MMA platform. There’ll in all probability be cheaper base variations with smaller batteries that can use this battery chemistry. For instance, Tesla makes use of lithium-iron phosphate batteries within the base Mannequin 3 with the small 60 kWh battery, provided by Chinese language large CATL. CATL can also be a provider for the Mercedes EQS for which it provides the Li-Ion battery.
Lithium-iron phosphate batteries have a barely decrease vitality density than Li-Ion batteries however are extra proof against extra charging cycles and are much less prone to catch hearth in the event that they overheat. In the identical time, with the brand new clever packaging, the distinction within the vitality density in contrast with Li-Ion batteries has been diminished dramatically.
German newspaper Handelsblatt additionally reported that Mercedes plans to introduce Degree 3 Drive Pilot autonomous driving from the S-Class and EQS to the MMA platform. Thus, inside sources announce that Mercedes engineers have supplied area for the Lidar radar within the MMA platform.
