Mercedes-Benz debuts its first all-electric C-Class sedan with nearly 400 miles of range

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the first all-electric C-Class on April 20, 2026, at a world premiere in South Korea, with the initial variant scheduled to reach U.S. dealerships in the first half of 2027.

The entry variant for the U.S. market, the C400 4Matic, draws power from a 94.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack feeding two electric motors that together generate 482 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The car reaches 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed limited to 130 mph. On the European WLTP cycle, range is rated at 473 miles; U.S. EPA figures have not yet been released, but the figure is expected to come in at about 400 miles, according to The Drive and Jalopnik.

The car sits on a dedicated electric platform that extends the wheelbase by 3.8 inches compared with the current gasoline C-Class, bringing it to 116.6 inches. That added length creates more front and rear legroom. The electric architecture also frees up space under the hood for a front trunk with 3.5 cubic feet of capacity, while the rear trunk holds 16.6 cubic feet. Maximum towing capacity is rated at 3,968 pounds.

The car supports DC fast charging up to 330 kW. According to Mercedes-Benz, a 10-minute charge can add about 200 miles of range, and charging from 10 to 80 percent takes around 22 minutes. A standard DC converter lets the car charge at 400-volt stations too.

At 0.22, the sedan's drag coefficient undercuts that of the electric GLC, which checks in at 0.26, a difference that Motor1 notes helps explain why the C-Class can travel farther on a charge than its crossover counterpart. The rear motor uses a two-speed transmission, with the first gear handling acceleration and the second optimized for highway driving.

Buyers can also option an air suspension system whose predictive damping draws on Google $GOOGL Maps data to ready the chassis for road imperfections before they arrive, paired with rear-wheel steering capable of rotating the rear axle as much as 4.5 degrees during low-speed maneuvers. When the rear-steering option is fitted, the overall turning circle measures 36.7 feet.

Three dashboard arrangements are on offer. At the top sits the Hyperscreen, a seamless 39.1-inch panel that runs nearly the entire width of the car. A step down, the Superscreen places a 10.3-inch gauge display alongside a pair of 14-inch touchscreens beneath a shared sheet of glass. On base models, the passenger-side touchscreen gives way to a decorative animated panel. An optional panoramic roof includes 162 illuminated stars embedded in the glass.

Mercedes-Benz Chairman and CEO Ola Källenius said in a statement: "With the all-new electric C-Class, we've raised everything customers love about this model to the next level. The result is a new benchmark for quality, craftsmanship and comfort."

A rear-wheel-drive version with a single motor and an estimated range of about 497 miles is planned for the future. U.S. pricing has not been announced yet. The current gasoline-powered C-Class will still be available alongside the electric model.