Mercedes-AMG has just shown that a compact electric sedan can be seriously quick. The new tri-motor CLA45 EV stormed around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:32.07, becoming the fastest subcompact four-door ever to tackle the legendary circuit.

Behind the wheel, Kevin Berger unleashed the car’s 680 hp / 689 PS powertrain, pushing the compact EV beyond 155 mph / 250 kph on the track. Its pace is remarkable: the CLA45 EV not only beats the combustion-powered Audi RS3, but also comes close to Walter Röhrl’s famous 2007 lap in a Porsche 911 GT2.

It still trails the lighter gasoline-powered BMW M2 CS by around seven seconds, yet that hardly diminishes the achievement. This is a 4,200 lb / 1,905 kg electric sedan with four doors, built primarily as a luxury commuter, that can attack the Nürburgring at supercar-like speeds.

There is, however, one major catch for American enthusiasts. Unless Mercedes-AMG changes its plans, the CLA45 EV will not be offered in the United States, leaving American performance fans to watch its European exploits from across the Atlantic.

Could an EV matching the pace of a legendary Porsche 911 GT2 finally change the way enthusiasts view electric performance cars? Is Mercedes-AMG making a mistake by keeping the CLA45 EV out of America? And can heavy electric sedans really become convincing track-day machines?

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