New arrival

Mercedes-Benz launched the all-electric CLA in Beijing on Wednesday, offering three trims priced from 249,000 to 299,000 yuan ($34,946 to $41,981). The four-door measures 4,763 millimeters long, 1,836 mm wide and 1,471 mm tall. It uses an 800-volt electrical architecture with a two-speed electric transmission and a multi-source heat-pump system.

Aerodynamics is rated at a drag coefficient of 0.21. The car accelerates from 0-100 kilometers per hour in 6.9 seconds and delivers a China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle range of 866 km, with energy use as low as 10.9 kilowatt-hours per 100 km. Direct-current fast charging peaks at 320 kW, and Mercedes-Benz says a 10-minute charge can add 370 km of range. Driver-assistance features include a navigation system codeveloped with Momenta for expressways and urban roads, as well as automated parking. The new cockpit runs on the Qualcomm 8295 chip and features a Mercedes voice assistant enhanced by the Doubao artificial intelligence large model, with a claimed 97 percent recognition rate.