• Mercedes has confirmed the CLA will support both 400V and 800V chargers in the States.
  • Initially, the CLA EV will be limited to 800V charging, with future models getting a converter.
  • The new electric sedan will offer two power outputs: 268 hp and 349 hp, the latter with AWD.

Mercedes has made more than a few questionable decisions in recent years, but one of the most baffling had to be limiting the CLA EV to 800V DC fast-charging stations. This drastically restricted were owners could recharge, which is an odd move, to put it mildly, considering a lack of charging infrastructure is often cited as a reason why people won’t buy electric vehicles.

The decision seemed so puzzling that we couldn’t help but ask, what were they thinking? We now have an answer as Mercedes wanted to showcase the CLA’s 320 kW DC fast-charging capability that can deliver up to 202 miles (325 km) of range in just 10 minutes.

More: What Were They Thinking? Mercedes CLA EV Can Only Use 800V DC Fast Chargers

While that’s kind of an explanation, the company has now revealed future U.S. models will be able to charge at both 400V and 800V charging stations.

As a Mercedes-Benz USA spokesperson explained to us, “After the initial limited delivery of cars late this year for demonstration of the CLA’s fast-charging abilities, 2026 US customer orders from early next year will feature a converter and be capable of charging at 400V and faster 800V” stations. They went on to say this means the car will be able to access more than 140,000 charging points across America.

While the initial messaging was muddied, Mercedes did attempt to explain the thinking behind it. “Public charging point technology varies across the world, and the networks widely available in the U.S. and Europe are different. We’re committed to offering our customers the best experience and believe fast-charging at 800V gives the best and most convenient experience.”

Faster charging speeds are certainly welcome, but drastically reducing where people can charge isn’t. In the end, Mercedes seems to have realized that.