Battery size: 94.5kWh
Max charge rate: 330kW
WLTP range: 428 – 452 miles
Introduction - new, electric Mercedes C-Class
Welcome to the battle of the executive electric saloons. It’s an age-old tale, isn’t it? BMW vs Mercedes. This looks set to be one of the most epic, because the new Mercedes C-Class Electric is really punching at the BMW i3, and now I’ve finally been to drive it!
Now, let’s cover the basics. This electric C-Class is an all-new model that sits on the same platform as the new, Mercedes GLC Electric. You can still buy the petrol and plug-in hybrid models, which remain very competitive, but obviously the big news is this all-new, all-electric model – imaginatively named the ‘Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric’. Actually, I may be poking a bit of fun there, but it’s a much more sensible name than the ‘EQ Technology’ badge that Mercedes previously used for its EVs.
Anyway, Mercedes is emphasising its heritage these days, in order to differentiate itself from brands like Tesla, BYD and MG – all of which have rivals to the electric C-Class in the shape of the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and the MG IM5.
So that huge, illuminated grille? That’s a nod to the heritage and harks back to the big, upright chrome grilles that were a trademark on halo Mercedes models through the latter half of the 20th century. It’s divisive, I know. And I wasn’t sure about it initially, either. But having seen it, I actually really like it! I also reckon that it’s good that Mercedes has kept a slightly traditional feel to the styling, as it makes it look and feel more different to the unashamedly modern BMW i3.
These things are very subjective, of course, so let us know which one you think looks best in the comments on our YouTube vid.
Range, battery and charging
The electric Mercedes C-Class sits on a dedicated platform – called the ‘MB.EA’ platform by anybody who’s in a Mercedes boardroom.
It packs a 94.5kWh NMC battery, which promises a WLTP range of up to 452 miles in the powerful, all-wheel drive C-Class 400 4Matic model that is currently the only option in the UK. And which I’ve finally driven! Hurrah! Keep on scrolling to find out what it’s like to drive, but suffice to say that you won’t be disappointed provided you’re hoping for a very zen, sumptuous, typically Mercedes driving experience.
Mercedes has done well with real-world range and efficiency on its new generation of EVs, as we’ve seen in the new CLA, so I had high hopes when I drove the new C-Class Electric. In warm, varied conditions including a bit of motorway and some winding mountain roads, I managed 4.4 miles per kWh, which is good for a real-world range of 415 miles (668km). Not bad, I have to say! And let’s not forget that this is a four-wheel drive EV that’ll do 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds, so it’s not short on power.
There’s an even more efficient version on the way, too. Mercedes is bringing a lower powered, single-motor, rear-wheel drive version of the C-Class Electric to Europe and the UK very soon, with the WLTP range for that expected to creep up to 497 miles.
I know, I know… The BMW i3 still goes further according to official figures. But come on! How much range do you need? And also, the Mercedes EVs are proving to be very good for real-world range, so the difference in reality may end up being less than the WLTP figures suggest. We’ll have to wait and see after we’ve driven the BMW i3, and got these two executive EVs in a proper group test!
Charging in the C-Class is up to 330kW, which means that - if you plug into one of the 350kW 800V ultra-rapid chargers that are now common in UK motorway services - you can gain as much as 200 miles of range in 10 minutes.
Plug into one of the 400V rapid chargers (which includes all the 150- to 200kW rapid chargers that you find on most artery roads in the UK) and the C-Class will charge at up to 100kW, which will take more like 20 minutes or so for a top-up of 100 miles.
You don't need to buy a converter to use these 400V chargers if you’re in the UK, either (as you do on the electric C-Class in some other markets). Merc has integrated that and made it standard for UK buyers, so the C-Class will be compatible with just about every public rapid charger in the UK and western Europe. A full charge from a 7kW home charger will take around 15 hours.
The C-Class also gets bidirectional charging including vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid, so that you can charge your devices – or even your house – from the car’s high voltage battery.
A heat pump is standard, which should help with cold weather efficiency and range, too.
Practicality and boot space
There’s a 470-litre boot in the new, electric C-Class, which is super competitive for this class. Obviously, it’s a saloon so the opening is narrow, but the boot space is very deep and you’ll get a couple of sets of golf clubs in there, I reckon. You can also tow up to 1.8 tonnes, which could be useful.
Not only that, but there’s a 101-litre frunk – which I absolutely love, because you open it simply by pressing the Mercedes badge on the bonnet. It makes it so much easier to use this space, than it does in rivals where you have to press a button on the screen in the car, or even rummage around in the footwell for a manual release. It’s really great.
Rear passenger space is very good, I’d say. I know I’m not the tallest person, but I reckon even six-footers will be comfortable back there. Naturally, you get charging ports and a centre rear armrest with cupholders. I really love that ‘Sky Control’ glass roof with the stars, too. It’s proper theatre.
Interior, styling and technology
As you’d expect, the Mercedes C-Class gets the new MBUX Hyperscreen technology, which features a huge 39.1-inch screen that stretches across the whole cabin. Initially this system is a bit overwhelming because of the sheer wall of screen that you’re greeted with. But, actually, the graphics are fantastic, the screen responds quickly and when you’ve given yourself time to work out how it all works it is an easy system to live with. Just maie sure you give yourself plenty of time to get used to how it all works, and to set up your configurable shortcuts, and you should be fine.
I do have a couple of niggles, though. The inbuilt sat nav is slightly irritating and seems to be a beat behind where you need it to be… When I was driving it, I found the head-up display to be better at giving you nav commands at precisely the right moment, or obviously you’ve got wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to fall back on as well. You only get the head-up display – and the incredible massage seats, which I’d say are the best in the business - on AMG Premium Plus and above.
The other thing that drives me mad is that you can’t toggle though your music from the steering wheel, you need to do it via the central screen. There are physical buttons for the volume and other controls but it seems a bit mad you can’t do that. Although generally I do think there’s a good mix of physical controls and touchscreen ones, and the AI-powered voice control is also pretty reliable.
Oh, and I love the transparent bonnet feature. Although the bonnet isn't actually transparent (I don’t think Mercedes has harnessed actual witchcraft, just yet, but give it a few years…) the parking cameras create a virtual view underneath the front of the car so that you can see obstacles that would normally disappear from view beneath the nose. It's designed for off-roading, but I suspect it'll spend just as much time saving expensive alloy wheel and chin spoilers from high kerbs. It's a very useful bit of tech.
Otherwise, the materials and general layout in the 2026 Merc C-Class Electric are just lovely – and if our time in an entry-level GLC (which has a very similar trim lineup and cabin design) is anything to go by, you don’t have to go for one of the pricey top-spec trims to feel like you’re in a very sumptuous, high-end car. Even the entry-level Sport models have a nice blend of materials and a very plush finish.
Motors, performance and handling
The electric C-Class will go on sale initially in the UK only with the 400 4Matic model, which gets four-wheel drive and 489hp for a 0–62mph of 4.0 seconds. That’s not slow, is it?! There will be less powerful versions joining later, including single motor, rear-wheel drive variants and other all-wheel drive 4Matic models, so it will be a comprehensive – and more affordable! - lineup when all these new electric C-Class variants have arrived.
Anyway, what’s the new electric C-Class like to drive? Well, I've always thought that a key reason why people bought a Mercedes C-Class rather than a BMW 3 Series was for the comfort. BMW has traditionally been the driver's car. Mercedes has always been the one you choose if you wanted to arrive feeling relaxed. And I'm pleased to report that hasn't changed just because it's gone electric. If anything, Mercedes has leaned even further into what it's always done best - and electric power is helping that.
It’s so quiet in the electric C-Class! Spookily so. It’s remarkably well insulated from road noise, and there's a calmness to the way it covers ground that feels expensive, if you know what I mean. It almost seems to float down the road thanks to the air suspension that was fitted to our 400 4Matic test car – which is standard on the top two trims, or part of a £2,500 pack on lower spec cars.
Is it worth it? The Electrifying team is a bit divided about this. A couple of us didn’t like the amount of body movement that the air suspension brought on the GLC when they drove it. You know when the car feels a bit wallowy and floaty? Yeah, that. But I found the C-Class was better for feeling neatly tied down while also being super-comfy, which makes sense because of its lower centre of gravity. Honestly, the ride is superb. It’s really composed, yet body lean doesn’t feel too pronounced. The air suspension is also clever enough to use road data to prepare for bumps ahead, which sounds pretty ideal for the UK’s increasingly broken roads.
Otherwise, it pulls away smoothly and obviously has plenty of power. But more important than that is that it’s all easy to modulate and feels very slick and progressive. There’s nothing aggressive about the new C-Class Electric – even the powerful 400 4Matic, which is to the C-Class what the Performance is to the Tesla Model 3. It’s very easy to drive, and yet also seriously fast if you want it to be!
The rear-wheel steering that was fitted to our test car also deserves a mention, because you can genuinely feel it helping the car turn into corners. It makes it feel very agile, and helps to disguise the fact that this is actually a much bigger car than the C-Class we've known for years.
Naturally, there are different driving modes to play with. I prefer the C-Class 400 4Matic in Sport mode. It rides well in Comfort, but Sport just tightens everything up – and, of course, you can also set things up to suit your personal tastes and save it to the Individual mode, which is useful as I reckon a lot of people might favour comfort suspension but sportier steering and throttle response.
As with other Mercedes EVs, the C-Class gets a two-speed gearbox to help with efficiency - and the change between them is very slick, so you don’t really feel it at all.
The Merc’s regenerative braking is designed to recover more energy than on earlier Mercedes electric models, and you can alter it via paddles on the steering wheel. It’s nicely calibrated – nice and smooth, with full one-pedal driving if you want it.
The driver assistance programmes come into their own on the motorway, too, and aren’t overly intrusive – which is nice!
The biggest takeaway from driving the new C-Class Electric is that Mercedes hasn't tried to out-BMW BMW. Instead, it's leaned into what it's always done best - refinement and comfort. I reckon we can all agree that that’s a good thing.
Running costs and pricing
Pricing in the UK will start from £57,995 right up to £70,995. Entry-level Sport is still pretty well-equipped with plenty of touchscreen goodness, a panoramic roof and leatherette upholstery, but most will go for the AMG Line with its sportier styling, memory seats and passenger screen up front. You have to step up again to AMG Line Premium - or one of the even more luxurious trims over it - to get that full Hyperscreen infotainment system and head-up display. Airmatic suspension is a £2,500 option that’s available on all but that entry-level Sport model.
By the time you’ve pulled all the numbers apart, that makes it quite a bit more expensive than the BMW i3 and almost £10,000 more than the Tesla Model 3 Long Range or BYD Seal. So, you’ve really got to want the C-Class if you’re comparing it to rivals, although I can see why you would!
Mind you, we’ll caveat that with the fact that many buyers will be leasing or paying with PCP monthly finance, and Mercedes may well be very competitive with it key rivals on that front. Business users may also be swayed, given that electric cars remain very affordable on Benefit in Kind tax, so the C-Class will likely be a popular company car.
Verdict
The new Mercedes C-Class Electric is so impressive. It’s one of those cars that just oozes confidence and calm, and I really love that. I do think that the list prices in the UK are punchy, which will put some people off, and inevitably some will be drawn more towards the longer range of the BMW i3 - but a lot of that will be solved with the addition of a more affordable and more efficient rear-wheel drive model. And if the monthly finance and leasing deals stack up on this powerful C-Class 400 4Matic Electric then I can absolutely see why you’d go for the big Merc’s zen qualities over the BMW i3. I can't wait to try them both back-to-back in the UK!
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