Top luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz on Friday launched the all-new CLA BEV, the company’s first next-generation vehicle based on Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) platform in India.
Launched at a starting price of Rs 55 lakhs, the CLA EV becomes the German brand’s most affordable EV in India and will compete against rival BMW’s top-selling EV iX1, Tesla’s Model Y and Model Y L.
Talking to TNIE, Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said that the launch marks a shift toward a new technology and new platforms from Mercedes-Benz.
“We are really happy with how the car has been received. No one has driven the car yet but it has already received more than 400 bookings in just 20 days,” added Iyer.
At present, Mercedes’ EV penetration in total sales is about 8% as its existing models fall in the top-end vehicle (price upward of Rs 1.4 crore) segment. In this high-end segment, Mercedes has an EV penetration of 20%. The carmaker recently reported its best-ever fiscal sales in India, with 19,363 units retailed in the April 2025-Mar 2026 period (up from 18,928 units in FY 24-25).
“We are fully committed to bringing more EVs across price segments. A wider portfolio of EVs will certainly help us to increase our EV penetration. Mercedes has plans to launch 12 vehicles in 2026 and a handful of them will be EVs,” stated Iyer.
The CLA BEV has been launched in three variants: a top-end CLA ‘Launch Edition’ (Rs 64 lakh), a ‘Long Range’ CLA 250+ (Rs 59 lakh) and a ‘Standard Range’ CLA 200 (Rs 55 lakh). Conceived as a born-electric luxury sedan from the ground up, the CLA BEV is built on the all-new MMA platform and powered by MB.OS, Mercedes-Benz’s proprietary operating system.
Mercedes claims that the CLA 250+ ‘Launch Edition’ and the ‘Long Range’, with its 800 V architecture, recovers 400 kms of range in just 20 minutes via a 240 kW DC fast charger. While the CLA 200 ‘Standard Range’ adds 320 kms in the same time duration.
The CLA 200 ‘Standard Range’ with Progressive Line delivers 542 kms of WLTP-certified range. The CLA 250+ ‘Long Range’ with AMG Line delivers 792 kms of WLTP-certified range.
At the heart of the CLA BEV is MB.OS, running on the MMA platform. It enables over-the-air updates, continuous feature enhancements, and a MBUX experience that learns from the driver. The MBUX Virtual Assistant does not wait to be asked, it guides charging decisions, adjusts routes, and manages in-car settings based on how the car is being used.
“The CLA is the first of the 40 product global fireworks show from Mercedes-Benz, and we are thrilled by the overwhelming customer response to the CLA in India. The pre-launch demand for the CLA BEV from existing luxury customers across markets reinforces our belief that Indian customers do not compromise on high product substance,” said Iyer.