How Much Does It Cost to Charge a Mercedes-Benz CLA? $16.47
Charging a 2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA costs about $16.47 for a full charge and $4.93 per 100 miles at 17¢/kWh — about $592 a year at 12,000 miles.
· Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · EPA fueleconomy.gov · next EIA update ~Oct 23
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Slider nudges the CLA's rate; the URL keeps it.
- EPA efficiency
- 29.0 kWh/100 mi
- Energy for a full range
- ~97 kWh
- Full charge at 17¢/kWh
- $16.47
- Per 100 miles
- $4.93
- Per year (12k miles)
- $592
- EPA range
- 334 miles
Why this number
The Mercedes-Benz CLA (EPA data for the 2027 model year, the newest the EPA lists; dollar figures use 2026 electricity rates) uses 29.0 kWh per 100 miles on the EPA combined cycle — the wall-outlet figure, so charging losses are already counted (look up your exact trim at fueleconomy.gov ). At the US average residential rate of 17¢/kWh that puts the CLA at about $4.93 per 100 miles — 4.93¢ a mile. That is comfortably better than average — 7th most efficient of the 67 current models tracked here — and puts running costs in the range most buyers hope for when they switch.
What a CLA costs to charge at every rate
The same CLA costs $3.58 per 100 miles at Idaho’s 12.35¢ and $15.29 at Hawaii’s 52.72¢ — a 4.3× spread that is entirely the rate:
| Electricity rate | Per 100 miles | Full charge (~97 kWh) | Per year at 12,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12¢/kWh | $3.48 | $11.62 | $418 |
| 15¢/kWh | $4.35 | $14.53 | $522 |
| 17¢/kWh (US avg) | $4.93 | $16.47 | $592 |
| 20¢/kWh | $5.80 | $19.37 | $696 |
| 25¢/kWh | $7.25 | $24.21 | $870 |
| 30¢/kWh | $8.70 | $29.06 | $1,044 |
| 35¢/kWh | $10.15 | $33.90 | $1,218 |
| 45¢/kWh | $13.05 | $43.59 | $1,566 |
Wall-side for the CLA: EPA’s 29.0 kWh/100 mi is measured at the outlet, charger losses included; quick-fill your state above for your own figure.
That per-mile figure is the one to hold against gasoline: at 17¢/kWh the CLA’s 4.93¢ a mile compares with about 13.6¢ for a 30-mpg gas car at $4.07 a gallon (EIA weekly, Aug 31, 2026). The EV vs gas cost guide works the CLA’s math in full — both formulas, and the electricity rate at which the advantage disappears.
Range: what a “full charge” of the CLA really means
EPA range across the lineup runs 312–374 miles, averaging 334. Multiplying that by the car’s efficiency gives roughly 97 kWh to refill a full range from empty, which is the honest way to think about a ‘full charge’ — battery capacity figures include a buffer you never actually use.
The CLA on a public fast charger
On a public fast charger at about 48¢/kWh the CLA costs $13.92 per 100 miles against $4.93 at home — 2.8× — or roughly $1,670 a year instead of $592 if it never sees a home outlet. Why a session costs more than the posted price for a CLA (10–80% charging curve, idle fees, per-minute billing) is explained once on the cost-to-charge hub ; the EV time-of-use calculator nets an overnight rate against the CLA’s $592 flat-rate figure.
The CLA in cold weather
A hard winter lifts the CLA from 29.0 to roughly 37.7 kWh/100 mi (the middle of the 20–40% rise real-world data shows), so $6.41 per 100 miles instead of $4.93 and an effective range nearer 257 miles than 334. The mechanics behind the CLA’s winter penalty — cabin heat, battery chemistry, preconditioning from the wall — are on the hub ; the CLA’s $592 annual figure above already averages the seasons.
Where the CLA sits against other EVs
Its nearest neighbors on efficiency are the Subaru Solterra (28.4 kWh/100 mi) and the Toyota C-HR (29.3 kWh/100 mi). The CLA at 29.0 kWh/100 mi sits against a set that runs from the Tesla Model Y at 26.9 kWh/100 mi, and the least efficient is the GMC Hummer EV at 67.8 — a spread that changes annual charging cost by $834 a year at 17¢/kWh and 12,000 miles.
Trims: does the CLA version you pick change the bill?
The EPA rates 3 configurations of the 2027 CLA, and they are not close: 27.0 kWh/100 mi for the most efficient, 31.0 for the least, a 15% spread. At 12,000 miles that is about $82 a year between the cheapest and most expensive version of the same CLA. Bigger wheels, all-wheel drive and performance tunes are usually what separates them — worth knowing before you tick the options box.
How it compares inside the Mercedes-Benz range
The CLA at 29.0 kWh/100 mi sits among 4 Mercedes-Benz EVs tracked here, running from 29.0 (CLA) to 42.5 (EQS). Also on this site: Mercedes-Benz EQE , Mercedes-Benz EQB , Mercedes-Benz EQS .
The tax question for the CLA, answered plainly
Nothing about the CLA changes that: the rules are the same for every EV, and the full 2026 position — §30D, §25E, the ended §30C charger credit, state programs — is in the energy tax credit guide and on the cost-to-charge hub .
Related
Closest comparisons to the CLA on running cost and body style: Subaru Solterra (28.4 kWh/100 mi), Toyota C-HR (29.3 kWh/100 mi), Audi A6 e-tron (29.4 kWh/100 mi), Lucid Air (27.3 kWh/100 mi).
Put the CLA’s $592 a year against a gas car in the EV vs gas calculator , check your state’s rate , or price a road-trip stop for a CLA in the Supercharger vs home calculator . All 67 EVs . The CLA is only one line on the household bill — the 40-appliance running-cost ranking shows where $592 a year of charging lands next to everyday loads like a chest freezer or a pool pump .
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to fully charge a Mercedes-Benz CLA?
About $16.47 at the US average residential rate of 17¢/kWh. Refilling 334 miles of EPA range draws roughly 97 kWh from the wall — the EPA figure is measured at the outlet, so charger and cable losses are already in it. At 12¢/kWh that is $11.62; at 45¢/kWh it is $43.59.
What does a CLA cost per mile in electricity?
About 4.93¢ per mile for the CLA at 17¢/kWh, measured at the wall. For the CLA that is the number to set against gasoline: a 30-mpg car at $4.07 a gallon (EIA weekly, Aug 31, 2026) costs about 13.6¢ a mile.
Is it cheaper to charge the CLA at home or at a public fast charger?
Home, for the CLA: about $4.93 per 100 miles at 17¢/kWh against roughly $13.92 on a 48¢ fast charger — 2.8 times as much, before idle fees and per-minute billing on some networks.
Does the CLA qualify for a federal EV tax credit in 2026?
No — the CLA, like every EV bought after September 30, 2025, gets $0 federal purchase credit (§30D and §25E ended); the charger credit (§30C) ended June 30, 2026. State and utility EV programs are unaffected.
How we calculated this
Worked for the CLA: 29.0 kWh/100 mi ÷ 100 × 17¢ = $4.93 per 100 miles; 334 mi × 29.0 ÷ 100 = 97 kWh, × $0.17 = $16.47 per full charge; $4.93 × 12,000 ÷ 100 = $592 a year. The CLA’s gasoline comparison is 12,000 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.07 = $1,628. EPA combined ratings, measured at the wall.Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity rates · DSIRE incentive records · public IRS/OBBBA guidance. Figures are modeled estimates, not quotes or tax advice. See our methodology.
Where to go next
- Cost to charge a Toyota C-HR — 29.3 kWh/100 mi against the CLA’s 29.0 — $4.98 vs $4.93 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge a Audi A6 e-tron — 29.4 kWh/100 mi against the CLA’s 29.0 — $5.00 vs $4.93 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge a Hyundai Kona — 29.5 kWh/100 mi against the CLA’s 29.0 — $5.02 vs $4.93 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge an EV: all 67 models ranked — Where the CLA’s $592 a year sits among 67 EVs, plus the fast-charging, cold-weather and tax explainers.
- EV vs gas cost calculator — The CLA’s 29.0 kWh/100 mi against your gas car’s mpg and your local pump price.