Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026 had its moment of the week on July 12: Mercedes-AMG unveiled the CLA 45 Electric. The first number everyone notices is 680 horsepower. But the technology behind it is the more interesting story.
Three Axial-Flux Motors — Same Technology as the AMG GT 4-Door
The CLA 45 Electric doesn’t use conventional radial-flux motors. AMG opted for axial-flux motors: a configuration where the magnetic flux runs parallel to the rotation axis, enabling more compact, lighter motors at equivalent output. It’s the same technology developed for the AMG GT 4-Door Electric.
The layout: one motor up front, two at the rear. Peak output: 680 hp. Continuous power: 612 hp. Torque: 1,759 Nm. Result: 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds.
The two rear motors can also operate asymmetrically for torque vectoring — enabling precise traction management in circuit driving, including a Drift Mode.
800V Architecture and 330 kW Charging
The 94 kWh LFP battery and 800-volt architecture enable charging at up to 330 kW. From 10% to 80%, the stated time is 22 minutes. WLTP range is quoted at 670 km.
The front motor can be decoupled in normal driving for rear-wheel-drive efficiency on highway use.
Available as Saloon and Shooting Brake
The CLA 45 Electric is offered in two body styles: saloon and Shooting Brake (estate variant). It extends the standard CLA range into its most powerful AMG configuration.
What remains to be confirmed: pricing and commercial timeline. Goodwood was a dynamic visual presentation — commercial details will follow at a dedicated launch event. In a segment where Porsche Taycan and BMW M5 Electric set the benchmark, AMG enters with comparable figures and a differentiating motor technology.