A "one-liter car"-but electrically: This is how Supervisory Council leader Martin Brudermüller describes the new Mercedes Cla. It is not about fuel, but about efficiency, reach and charging speed. You can read here why the CLA for Mercedes becomes a symbol of the transformation of how China and software determine the course and why Europe remains below its possibilities, according to Brudermüller.
Why makes Brudermüller the CLA a "one-liter car" of e-mobility
For Brudermüller it is CLA the "one-liter car" of e-mobility: Minimal consumption, maximum efficiency, high range, fast charging capacity-plus your own Mercedes software. The CLA marks the start of a new product offensive: efficiently, digitally independently and clearly geared towards electromobility. That is supposed to Porsche and Tesla-shaped premium segment not copied, but reinterpreted with Mercedes genes.
China, USA, software: The strategic balancing act
Brudermüller demands a balance between the USA and China. He warns of package judgments, but emphasizes: "The Chinese are far ahead with key technologies." For Mercedes, this means: China remains sales and technology market- despite tariffs, price struggles and fast pace. At the same time, high tariffs and a weak dollar are burdening in the USA. All of this meets an industry that, in addition to electromobility, also has to make software a core competence. "Of course, this affects the company - and we have to find solutions for everything." A tight task, as Brudermüller says.
Efficiency meets software: What the new CLA really can do
The new one CLA Should not only consume less, but also be at eye level with the best. Own infotainment and software platforms should reduce dependencies. Mercedes thus raises to topics such as user experience, over-the-air updates and digital cockpit-fields in which Chinese brands or Tesla scored early. Brudermüller admits: "As a western manufacturer, we have not recognized too long where it goes." This is exactly why Mercedes is now focusing on efficiency + software as a double strategy.
Competition with Tesla & China brands: Evaluation vs. substance
At Tesla, Brudermüller sees the capital market rating critically: "crazy and not justified." Tesla benefits from the tech label, while Mercedes is still perceived as a classic car manufacturer. The aim is to obtain consistent technology work and brand strength through a clear product policy (such as the CLA). At the same time, the competition from China is getting closer. Anyone who reads the five -year plan "knows what happens". Means: China plans, invested, delivers - at a record pace. Mercedes has to get used to "China-Speed".
Europe between claim and reality
Brudermüller looks beyond Mercedes: Europe does not scoop its potential. "Like an intelligent child who is lazy at school." Ambition, strategic will, target clarity - according to him. His appeal: Europe has to position itself as an active designer between the USA and China. Because climate protection, electromobility and technology leadership only succeed in conjunction - not in reverse.
Conclusion: take opportunities, keep the pace
The CLA as a "one-liter car" of e-mobility is more than marketing: it stands for Mercedes ’claim to combine efficiency, reach, loading speed and software. But the bar is increasing: geopolitical tensions, price pressure from China, software rally in the premium segment. Brudermüller's message is clear: cooperation instead of blockade, pace instead of hesitation, focus instead of small-small. This is the only way to stay ahead - and Europe.
