A couple of questions on the new Mercedes CLA...
1. What's the business model of the Mercedes-Benz CLA's built-in charging app? Is it more expensive than using e.g. Ionity directly?
2. What about the Mobilo Road Assistance? Is it really free of charge?
Mikko Kaarela (Helsinki. Finland)Nov 2025 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mikko,
1 - It's a convenience thing from the point of view of the end user, but no doubt Mercedes also makes money from the service as it comes with a subscription fee. The per kWh rate varies so it's not easy to definitively say that it's always more expensive than using the supplier directly. A quick glance at Ionity's fees suggests it is sometimes for sure, but then again, each charging operator has a subscription service of its own you'd need to check against.
2 - The Mercedes roadside assistance service is included in the price of new Mercedes for a set number of years only and then it only is renewed if you service your car at a Mercedes retailer. But you don't pay extra for it as such.
Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor