Electric Mercedes C-Class revealed as BMW i3 rival with 472-mile range

On sale Late 2026 Price from £55,000 (est)

This new electric Mercedes C-Class has the potential to be the most important model from the German brand yet. Why? Because the regular C-Class is Mercedes’ best-selling model, and it’s one of the first examples of the firm’s more mainstream cars to go fully electric.

Indeed, up until recently, Mercedes has mostly concentrated its electrification efforts on its more luxurious offerings, such as the EQE and EQS. Now though, this EV tech is on its way down to the brand’s more affordable models, with a number of its SUVs having already received the green treatment. One of those SUVs is the all-new Mercedes GLC – to which the sixth-generation C-Class will be closely related.

Like the GLC, the electric C-Class will be based on Mercedes’ new bespoke EV underpinnings, and will likely receive the same battery and power options as its SUV sibling. While the smaller Mercedes CLA is based on Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) designed for both electric and mild hybrid petrol engines, the new C-Class sits on the Mercedes-Benz Electric Architecture (MBEA). However, the platforms do share some parts, and there’s the potential for the MBEA platform to support combustion-engined vehicles in the future.

The range-topping C-Class C 400 4Matic model will lead the pack as the only option available at launch, featuring a large 94.5kWh battery and dual-motor set-up pumping out 483bhp. With that juice, it can sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.1sec – on par with the Tesla Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive.

That battery yields an official range of 472 miles, which isn’t quite as far as the upcoming BMW i3’s headline-grabbing 559-mile figure, but it’s still up there with some of the longest-range electric cars on the market. The Model 3, for reference, has a maximum range of 466 miles.

Later down the line, more variants of the electric C-Class will arrive with different batteries, including a rear-wheel-drive option with around 497 miles of range. You’ll have to wait until 2027 for that one, though.

Thanks to its 800-volt technology, the electric C-Class will be capable of charging at speeds of up to 330kW. A 10% to 80% top-up should take as little as 22 minutes, provided you can find a public charger fast enough.

Like the GLC, the C-Class will also feature Mercedes’ ‘one-box’ braking system. Linked to the brake pedal, this device calculates how much regenerative braking can be used in each scenario before the system reverts to the physical brakes. This not only helps to make braking smoother and reduce wear on the brake pads and discs, but also is said to play a key role in improving range.

Buyers can also opt for additional air suspension, dubbed Airmatic, which is also available on the GLC EV, and a rear-wheel steering system that should improve agility and tighten up the C-Class’s turning circle.

Outside, an illuminated front ‘grille’ dominates the front bumper, featuring more than a thousand light-up dots. It’s flanked by LED headlights and daytime running lights in the shape of Mercedes’ three-point star logo.

Inside, the electric C-Class is available with Mercedes’ commanding Hyperscreen as an option, which combines the digital driver’s display, central infotainment touchscreen and passenger touchscreen into one huge 39.1in display spanning the width of the dashboard. Entry-level models will likely receive a 14.0in infotainment touchscreen with a separate matching passenger screen, as well as a separate driver’s display behind the wheel. The dashboard is mostly free of physical buttons, save for a few on the steering wheel and centre console.

The system is powered by a liquid-cooled “supercomputer” and includes various apps, smartphone mirroring, and an AI-based voice control system. A Google Maps-based integrated sat-nav will be standard across the range. Drivers can also opt for a head-up display that will be able to show ‘augmented reality’ sat-nav instructions that simulate the driving environment. This kit is already available on the more luxurious Mercedes S-Class and recently-facelifted EQS.

For the first time, you can have your C-Class with a fully vegan interior, though Nappa leather is still available as an option.

Compared with the current combustion versions, the electric C-Class is slightly longer, with an extra 97mm at the wheelbase. Mercedes also cites 22mm additional headroom in the front, and 11mm in the rear. We’ve already sat in the back of the C-Class and found it doesn’t have quite as much headroom as a Model 3. Rear knee room is reasonable, though foot space is somewhat cramped.

With a boot capacity of 470 litres, the C-Class falls short of the Model 3, which has 594 litres when you take into account the large underfloor storage space. However, the C-Class makes up for its smaller rear space with a large 101-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, compared with the Model 3’s 88-litre space. It’s also even more practical than the current combustion-engined C-Class.

The electric C-Class will go on sale alongside a facelifted version of the current combustion car, which will offer an alternative for those not interested in the EV. The current C-Class is also available in estate form, though it’s unclear whether the next-generation model will receive a similarly practical variant.

Prices for the electric Mercedes C-Class haven’t yet been revealed, but we’d expect them to start at around £55,000 – broadly in line with what we predict for the upcoming BMW i3. That’s more expensive than all versions of the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3, bar the latter’s high-powered Performance variant.

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