Mercedes CLE 300 e PHEV Charging cable

The Mercedes-Benz CLE 300e is the plug-in hybrid variant of the CLE-Class, available exclusively as a two-door coupé (C236). It combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 95 kW permanently excited synchronous motor integrated into the 9-speed automatic transmission, producing a combined 313 hp and 550 Nm at the rear wheels. A 25.4 kWh lithium-ion NMC battery sits beneath the luggage compartment floor, delivering a WLTP electric range of up to 111 km (69 miles) and a 0–100 km/h time of 6.3 seconds. The CLE 300e is coupé-only: the CLE Cabriolet is not available with the plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The charging inlet is a Type 2 socket on the left rear flank. The onboard AC charger is 11 kW three-phase, completing a full charge from empty in approximately two hours at a compatible wallbox. DC rapid charging at up to 55 kW via CCS2 is available as an optional extra, enabling a full charge in around 25 minutes at a compatible rapid charger, though it is not fitted as standard.

Charging at home and on the road

At 11 kW from a three-phase wallbox, the CLE 300e charges from empty to full in approximately two hours, making it well suited to a charging routine between morning and evening or during a working day. On a single-phase supply with a correctly rated cable, the onboard charger draws 32A on one phase = 7.4 kW, completing a full charge in around three hours. A three-phase connection makes best use of the car's onboard charger, but single-phase remains practical for most home and workplace setups.

The right cable

With an 11 kW three-phase onboard charger, an 11 kW Voldt® Type 2 cable is the correct match at any three-phase wallbox or public AC charge point. On a single-phase home wallbox (7.4 kW), however, an 11 kW three-phase cable bottlenecks the session to 3.7 kW, as its conductors are rated at 16A per phase rather than the 32A a single-phase wallbox delivers on one line. At 3.7 kW, a full charge takes around six hours instead of two. A 22 kW cable, with 32A-per-phase conductors, carries the full single-phase load and delivers 7.4 kW, completing a charge in around three hours. For owners with a single-phase home installation, a 22 kW cable is the more practical choice: it covers both scenarios without compromise and future-proofs for any vehicle with 22 kW AC charging.

Cable reach

Voldt® Type 2 cables are available in lengths from 4 m up to 40 m. The left-rear port position suits reverse-entry parking at home, keeping the cable run short to a wall-mounted wallbox. A 6 m cable suits most home setups. An 8 or 10 m cable gives more flexibility where the wallbox is further from the parking position, or where the car cannot always be parked in the same orientation. For public charge points and workplace bays where the charger position varies, lengths from 10 m upward remove any concern about reach.

Portable charging with a CEE charger

The CLE 300e's battery size makes a Voldt® portable CEE charging cable a practical option at any location with industrial CEE sockets. On a 16A three-phase CEE socket (11 kW), a full charge takes approximately two hours. On a 32A three-phase CEE socket (22 kW available), the car's 11 kW ceiling applies and the result is the same. On a 16A single-phase CEE socket (3.7 kW), a full charge takes around six hours, workable as an overnight stop.

Red three-phase CEE sockets are found at industrial sites, workshops, and some commercial marinas. Standard European campsite hookup points use blue single-phase 16A CEE sockets, which cap output at 3.7 kW and result in the six-hour charge time noted above. For a battery of this size, a campsite overnight stop is entirely practical at that rate. On a standard domestic socket at 2.3 kW, a full charge takes around eight and a half to nine hours, making an overnight plug-in at home a straightforward option when no wallbox is available.

One standard across the entire range

Voldt® charging cables are CE, UKCA and TÜV certified and manufactured according to IATF 16949 automotive quality standards. Single-piece moulded connectors, no glue or screws. IP67-rated for operation between −30°C and +50°C. 100% copper conductors with silver-plated contacts. Tested beyond 10,000 connection cycles. Three-year warranty, 100-day returns, free shipping across Europe.