The All-New CLA Officially Rolls Offline

BBAC Redefines the Electric Vehicle with Intelligent Manufacturing Excellence

[September 10, 2025, Beijing] The all-new CLA, the first MMA model built at BBAC, officially rolled offline recently. As Mercedes-Benz’s first long-wheelbase, pure electric vehicle to be produced in China, the all-new CLA comes equipped with the new MB.OS architecture and an L2++ full-scenario intelligent driving assistance system. It is also the only model in its class to feature both a two-speed transmission and an 800V high-voltage architecture, delivering an optimal balance of power, efficiency, and charging performance, setting a new benchmark for intelligent electric vehicles.

“On the 20th anniversary of the founding of BBAC, we introduce our 14th model: the all-new CLA,” expressed Jörg Bartels, President & CEO of BBAC. “This model not only embodies the latest Mercedes-Benz Standard but also reflects the pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz’s craftsmanship as well as its scientific and technological innovation, delivering a truly trustworthy electric driving experience for Chinese consumers.”

“From meticulous material selection to precise process control and comprehensive quality management, the passionate BBAC employees’ pursuit of the ultimate ‘invisible detail’ creates ‘visible excellence’ of the all-new CLA,” said Zhang Zhengye, Party Secretary and Senior Executive Vice President of BBAC. “The successful SoP of the all-new CLA will serve as a powerful driver of BBAC’s high-quality development and lay a solid foundation for BAIC Group’s ‘Three-year Leaping Action’.”

Durability Across Three Decades, Starting from a Single Steel Plate

The all-new CLA adopts a fully galvanized body, significantly enhancing corrosion resistance and delivering a service life two to three times longer than that of conventional steel. Its hood and fenders are crafted from lightweight yet high-strength 6,000-series aluminum alloy, achieving a 54% weight reduction while uniquely passing the stringent aerospace-grade stress corrosion test in the industry, ensuring uncompromised range and safety. Manufactured with stamping precision at the micron level, this material achieves tolerance control in over 23% of key areas at more than double the industry standard. With an advanced automated transmission system and CNC stretching pad technology, the all-new CLA lays a solid foundation for 30-year long-lasting durability.

“Invisible Armor” for Ultimate Safety Assurance

At BBAC’s Welding Workshop, where the all-new CLA is manufactured, several hundred robots work in coordination. In preparation for the all-new CLA, the shop-floor team carried out 300 days of full-process validation and multiple rounds of iterative optimization, applying a three-digit number of dimensional accuracy solutions to repeatedly verify body strength, so as to ensure a high body connection technology qualification rate. The workshop’s gluing application process has achieved a 100% qualification rate.

The entire welding process is digitally managed from start to finish. Several hundred welding guns deliver precise welds, while nearly 80 intelligent gluing applicators ensure 100% real-time online quality monitoring, guaranteeing excellence in every detail. This advanced welding system has created the all-new CLA’s body, built from high-strength steel and aluminum alloy in an optimal ratio. The result is an ultra-high torsional stiffness, striking the perfect balance between structural safety and lightweight design.

30 Years of Corrosion Protection and Aesthetic Excellence

The painting process in the creation of the all-new CLA seamlessly blends aesthetic excellence with long-lasting durability. Advanced rodip cathodic electrocoating technology forms a nanoscale protective layer on the body, delivering up to 30 years of corrosion resistance. In addition, high-precision electrostatic spraying and spectral color-difference detection ensure a flawless finish with exceptional texture and durability.

To provide full-body protection, BBAC applies a one-piece PVC seal and injects an anti-corrosion wax solution at high pressure. Combined with industrial endoscopes and AI visual inspection, this guarantees 360-degree, blind-spot-free protection for the vehicle body cavity and chassis, fully eliminating the risk of rust. These rigorous processes not only allow the vehicle to confidently handle extreme conditions such as water crossings but also reduce wind noise, significantly enhancing cabin quietness.

Rigorous Standards Meet Intelligent Flexibility

In the final assembly stage, BBAC’s MMA intelligent flexible assembly marriage line ensures that the all-new CLA is built with a perfect balance of automation and safety. A fully automated tightening tower guarantees that every bolt is 100% precisely fastened, with torque data uploaded to the cloud for complete traceability, delivering an uncompromising safety assurance for critical components. Meanwhile, dual six-axis robotic arms achieve installation and a high gluing application accuracy. This precision not only ensures the aerodynamic curvature of the roof but also significantly reduces wind noise. The highly flexible production line supports over a thousand configuration options, enabling each vehicle to be tailored to customers’ personalized needs. In addition, the CLA battery assembly workshop adheres to the strictest standards of high-end manufacturing. A constant temperature and humidity environment provides the battery system with maximum protection.

BBAC upholds a world-class quality control system, ensuring the “Mercedes-Benz Standard” across the entire product lifecycle. As the all-new CLA comes offline, it is not only a testament to BBAC’s unwavering commitment to the Mercedes-Benz Standard, but also represents a new chapter in the brand’s journey toward electrification and intelligent mobility. Building on this milestone, BBAC will continue to advance its strategies in its development toward “electrification, digitalization and low-carbonization”. With manufacturing excellence and cutting-edge technologies as its foundation, BBAC is driving high-quality growth through robust production capabilities. This effort not only supports the company’s goal of reaching 6 million units in cumulative output of completed vehicles, but also contributes to the transformation and development of Beijing’s high-end manufacturing sector.