Hot version of new electric CLA will have ultra-slim Yasa motors, a drift mode and a hydraulic rear wing
Mercedes-AMG is set to roll out advanced new axial-flux electric motor technology across a new range of “hyper-performance” models – starting with 500bhp-plus successors to the CLA 45 4Matic+ Saloon and Shooting Brake.
Previously, AMG’s patented axial-flux motors were confirmed for only the company’s dedicated electric GT 4-Door and GT SUV models, due out in 2026. But Autocar has learnt that the motors – developed in partnership with Yasa, a British-based engineering firm acquired by Mercedes-Benz in 2021 – are also set to feature in other electric performance variants of the new GLA, GLC and C-Class, among other AMG models.
The move aims to position AMG at the forefront of performance EVs and is a direct response to the plans of its BMW M rival to provide future performance models, including new electric versions of the next-generation M3 and X3 M, with four motors developing up to 1000bhp.
Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Technical Officer, Markus Schäfer, confirmed the plans at the unveiling of the third-generation Mercedes CLA at a presentation in Rome, where the German car maker previewed the upcoming AMG variant due out in 2026 to the media.
“We have established a second pillar when it comes to powertrains – keyword Yasa. This is available to us across all model lines,” Schäfer told Autocar.
Central to AMG’s “hyper-performance” plans is the axial motor’s low weight and compact dimensions, and it will be brought to at least four models based on Mercedes-Benz’s MMA and MB.EA platforms.
At the unveiling of its OneEleven concept car in 2023, Mercedes-Benz claimed the axial electric motors weighed just one-third of its new eATS 2.0 motors, as used in the new electric Mercedes CLA 250+ and CLA 350 4Matic. At the same time, it stated that they require just one-third of the space.
Mercedes-Benz sources reveal AMG has developed a number of different 800V drivetrain combinations based around its axial-flux motor technology, including a tri-motor set-up. This is not only expected to provide future performance models with “significant power and torque” but also “advanced torque-vectoring properties.”
This is claimed to play a crucial role in the dynamic behaviour of the new CLA 45 4Matic+, allowing it to direct power to each individual wheel for more predictable cornering characteristics. It also provides scope for AMG to alter the handling, offering either more front-driven or rear-driven properties depending on the driving mode. As with the current model, a drift mode is also planned.
Nothing is official just yet, but Autocar has been told that the most powerful versions of Mercedes-AMG’s future compact car line-up will offer more than 500bhp and significantly more torque than today’s CLA 45 4Matic+, which has an electronically turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 416bhp and 369lb ft.
In a bid to provide its new electric models with the aural qualities to match their performance, AMG is also working on a new range of synthetic sounds, including a so-called ‘V8 Mode’, which is designed to replicate the roar of AMG’s traditional V8 petrol engines.
In addition to axial-flux motor technology, AMG is planning to equip its future electric models with an oil-cooled battery that features unique cylindrical cells and chemistry for greater energy density than the batteries used in standard Mercedes-Benz electric models.
The new battery will be paired with the next-generation inverter, heat pump and brake energy recuperation technology launched on standard versions of the new CLA.
Other developments planned for the new CLA 45 4Matic+ include an active aerodynamics package with an electrohydraulic rear wing integrated into the trailing edge of the bootlid. As well as providing additional downforce at higher speeds, it has also been conceived to act as an air brake with a tilting function in its most advanced form – as suggested by the prominent bootlid bulge under the camouflage of recently spotted prototypes.
Whether this latter functionality will feature on the range-topping CLA model, however, remains to be seen.
Source: Autocar
