2026 Mercedes-Benz Electric C-Class: Up to 762 km WLTP, 330 kW Charging

The electric C-Class is the first all-new battery-electric (BEV) version of one of Mercedes-Benz's best-selling model series, and it is a separate car from the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) C-Class that Mercedes also sells. Mercedes showed it at a world premiere in Seoul on 20 April 2026 and opened German orders on 6 May 2026 with the C 400 4MATIC, a dual-motor all-wheel-drive saloon with 360 kW (489 PS, about 483 hp) of peak output and a 94 kWh usable battery. On 16 September 2026 it added the C 300 4MATIC with 310 kW and an 85 kWh usable battery. Mercedes quotes up to 762 km of WLTP range for the C 400 and up to 325 km recharged in 10 minutes on an 800-volt system with DC charging up to 330 kW. German list prices, including 19 percent VAT, start at €62,951 for the C 300 4MATIC and €67,711 for the C 400 4MATIC, before delivery costs. A rear-wheel-drive version with an expected range of about 800 km has been confirmed by Mercedes but not yet priced or dated.

Performance & Specs

The C 400 4MATIC uses two permanently excited synchronous motors. The rear motor drives the rear axle through a new two-speed transmission, which Mercedes describes as claw-shifted in first gear (ratio 11:1) and disc-shifted in second gear (ratio 5:1), so that the car gets strong launch and towing performance from the short gear and efficiency on the motorway from the tall one. The front motor works as a boost drive: a disconnect unit decouples it under low load, which Mercedes says cuts front-axle losses by up to 90 percent. The result is 360 kW (489 PS, about 483 hp) of peak system output and 800 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h. Mercedes notes that the peak power is only available for limited periods and depends on temperature and charge, so 483 hp is a peak rating rather than a continuous one.

The C 300 4MATIC uses the same dual-motor layout and the same 800 Nm, but with 310 kW (421 PS, about 416 hp) of peak output, 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and the same 210 km/h top speed. (PS is the metric horsepower, about 1.4 percent smaller than the imperial hp used here.) Both versions recuperate up to 300 kW through a one-box braking system, which handles almost all braking events electrically and can bring the car to a standstill without the friction brakes. Mercedes quotes a battery-to-wheel efficiency of 93 percent over long distances and a drag coefficient starting at 0.22, helped by a nearly closed underbody and aerodynamically tuned 18 to 20 inch wheels.

On the chassis side, a four-link front axle and a multi-link rear axle are standard, with amplitude-selective dampers. The optional Agility and Comfort package adds AIRMATIC air suspension with predictive damping, which uses Car-to-X data and Google Maps to adjust the dampers before speed bumps and to keep the car lowered on the motorway, plus rear-axle steering with up to 4.5 degrees of angle that shrinks the turning circle by 90 cm to 11.2 metres. Electrive lists that package at €2,944.10 in Germany.

Powertrain	Dual-motor AWD BEV
Power	360 kW (489 PS / 483 hp) peak
Torque	800 Nm
0–100 km/h	4.0 s
Battery	94 kWh usable
Range	Up to 762 km WLTP

Dimensions & Practicality

Length	4,883 mm
Width	1,892 mm (2,066 mm with mirrors)
Height	1,503 mm
Wheelbase	2,962 mm
Boot	470 L, plus 101 L frunk

The purpose-built electric architecture stretches the wheelbase to 2,962 mm, which Mercedes says is 97 mm more than the combustion-engined C-Class saloon. Front passengers get 12 mm more legroom, and the standard panoramic roof adds 22 mm of maximum headroom in front and 11 mm in the rear. The 470 L boot is joined by a 101 L front trunk (liquid volume), which Mercedes pitches as big enough for a crate of 0.33-litre bottles, a carry-on trolley or the charging cables. Braked towing capacity is up to 1.8 tonnes with the optional semi-electric trailer coupling, unbraked towing is 750 kg and the towbar load is 80 kg, so a bike rack is possible.

The length, width, height and kerb weight come from the ADAC catalogue entry for the C 400 4MATIC Avantgarde and match the German Mercedes technical data: 4,883 mm long, 1,892 mm wide (2,066 mm with mirrors) and 1,503 mm high, with an EU kerb weight of 2,460 kg and a payload of 505 kg. ADAC lists 225/45 R18 tyres at the front and 255/40 R18 at the rear on that version. The weight is high for a mid-size saloon but normal for a car with a 94 kWh pack and two motors.

Charging & Battery

The C 400 4MATIC carries a new lithium-ion battery with 94 kWh of usable energy, and Mercedes gives its DC peak as 330 kW at 800-volt stations. The C 300 4MATIC has 85 kWh usable and peaks at 320 kW. For both versions Mercedes quotes 22 minutes for a 10 to 80 percent charge, and up to 325 km of WLTP range recovered in 10 minutes for the C 400 (290 km for the C 300) at maximum DC power under ISO/SAE 12906 conditions. A 400-volt charger needs the optional DC converter, which electrive lists at €654.50 in Germany. AC charging is 11 kW as standard, with a 22 kW on-board charger optional (also €654.50 per electrive), and ADAC lists a 100 percent AC charge at 11 kW as 630 minutes and at 22 kW as 300 minutes.

As a sanity check, 94 kWh over 762 km works out to about 12.3 kWh/100 km at the battery, while Mercedes' best combined WLTP consumption of 14.1 kWh/100 km at the plug is about 14 percent higher, which is the normal size of charging losses. The 85 kWh C 300 gives the same 12.3 kWh/100 km at the battery over 690 km. Mercedes' launch materials describe the consumption and range figures as preliminary, and the stated bands (594 to 762 km for the C 400, 549 to 690 km for the C 300) show how much wheel size and equipment matter. ADAC lists 753 km for the Avantgarde line with 14.3 kWh/100 km. Mercedes also claims a trip of well over 1,000 km with one brief charging stop, citing Berlin to Paris (1,054 km) as an example.

Design & Interior

The exterior is a low, flat-nosed saloon with a coupe-like roofline, short overhangs and flared wheel arches. The front carries a new illuminated grille with a chrome frame, a smoked-glass-look mesh with 1,050 illuminated dots and a central star, which plays a light animation when the car is unlocked, locked or charging. The headlamps use a star-shaped daytime running light signature, and the rear has four round, deep red star-design tail lights under a fastback tail. Flush door handles come with the optional KEYLESS-GO package, and the panoramic roof and chrome window frames are standard. Tyre sizes run from 18 to 20 inches.

Inside, Mercedes describes a new cabin it calls a comfort zone, with a large trim element joining the centre console and instrument panel, ventilated wireless-charging trays, a roller switch for volume on the steering wheel and 11 selectable ambient styles. The optional SKY CONTROL panoramic roof can be switched between transparent and opaque in nine segments and shows 162 illuminated stars in the chosen ambient colour. The seats have an electro-pneumatic four-way lumbar adjustment, an optional massage function and ventilation, and carry the German AGR back-health seal. The vegan interior package is certified by The Vegan Society, and Mercedes calls the C-Class the second car in the world after the GLC to offer it. The seats include optional Burmester 4D sound with body transducers in the front backrests.

Technology & Features

The centrepiece is the optional MBUX Hyperscreen, a seamless 99.3 cm (39.1 inch) screen across the dashboard with matrix backlight technology and more than 1,000 individually controlled LEDs, which Mercedes calls the largest screen ever fitted to a C-Class. The alternative is the three-screen MBUX Superscreen. The Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) runs infotainment, comfort, charging and driving assistance and supports regular over-the-air updates. The fourth-generation MBUX Virtual Assistant combines models from OpenAI, Microsoft and Google, and navigation is based on Google Maps with route planning that includes charging stops and battery preconditioning for fast charging. An augmented-reality head-up display with an 18-inch (45.7 cm) image area is available, and the optional DIGITAL LIGHT headlamps use micro-LED technology that extends the lit field by about 40 percent.

Digital Extras can be bought after delivery through the Mercedes-Benz Store, including the entertainment package with more than 40 apps and some MB.DRIVE functions, and some of them need terms acceptance and a Mercedes me ID. Mercedes pay+ uses the interior camera to authorise in-car payments. Mercedes says the market launch of its advanced assistance functions (MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO) starts in the United States and that the rollout elsewhere depends on local regulations.

Safety & ADAS

The saloon has up to 27 cameras and sensors feeding a water-cooled control unit. DISTRONIC distance assist with stop-and-go is standard in Europe, and MB.DRIVE PARKING ASSIST is standard in Germany according to the May 2026 release. Options include MB.DRIVE ASSIST with a lane-change function and an SAE Level 2 steering assist, the 360-degree parking camera package and MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO, which Mercedes describes as point-to-point assistance in dense city traffic where regulations allow it. The restraint system has up to 11 airbags including a standard front centre airbag worldwide, an optional front passenger knee airbag and a new PRE-SAFE curve function that tightens the seat belt if the car is too fast for an upcoming bend. The driver remains responsible at all times, and a Euro NCAP rating was not yet available when this article was written.

Available Versions

Pricing & Availability

In Germany, Mercedes' own releases give the C 300 4MATIC at €52,900 net for business customers and €62,951 including 19 percent VAT for private buyers, and the C 400 4MATIC at €56,900 net and €67,711 including VAT, both before delivery or collection costs. Mercedes cited private leasing from €470 a month for the C 400 and €449 a month for the C 300 on a 36-month term with a 20 percent special payment and 45,000 km. ADAC lists the C 400 at €67,711 in Avantgarde, €72,293 in AMG Line and €78,838 in AMG Line Plus. Further versions with rear-wheel drive and different battery sizes are to follow, including an expected range of about 800 km for the rear-drive car, which Mercedes describes as a digital simulation and not a confirmed value.

In the UK, the C 400 4MATIC is orderable in five trims (Sport, AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and Premier Edition) at £57,995 to £70,995 according to Electrifying, while Auto Express lists £58,575 to £71,575, so the exact UK list price is not confirmed. UK listings also quote a lower maximum range of up to 452 miles (about 727 km) than the 762 km German figure. Ireland is reported at €72,290 from the end of 2026. Mercedes says the market launch of its advanced assistance functions (MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO) starts in the United States; the US car is reported for the first half of 2027, with no price announced. In Israel, the Mercedes-Benz Israel site run by the Colmobil group shows a list price from ₪499,900 plus a ₪5,499 registration fee, but its price tables are inconsistent and no delivery date is given. Mercedes lists no confirmed arrival in other markets as of October 2026.

How It Compares

All four are dual-motor all-wheel-drive BEVs with German list prices including VAT and manufacturer WLTP maxima, and the C 400 4MATIC is the cheapest of the group. Its sibling, the electric GLC 400 4MATIC, shares the 483 hp peak rating and the 94 kWh class of battery but costs €3,570 more and is rated for up to 715 km. The BMW i5 xDrive40 is the closest match in size and positioning, yet it asks €8,589 more than the Mercedes for 389 hp at peak and up to 580 km. The Audi A6 Sportback e-tron quattro is the nearest on range, at up to 732 km and 422 hp, but it starts €12,089 higher. Power figures are peak ratings in each case, so the Mercedes' 483 hp is not a like-for-like continuous number, and the real choice among these cars will come down to interior, software and charging network access as much as the spec sheet.