Following hot on the heels of the new BMW i3 comes its arch-rival: the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric. It’s an all-new model rather than an electric version of the existing C-Class, offering a battery range of up to 473 miles and the ability to add more than 200 miles of charge in just 10 minutes.
Here’s the full lowdown on the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric.
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric: Price, Specs and Release Date
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric: styling and dimensions
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric: interior design and practicality
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric: engines and driving dynamics
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric: price and release date
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric: styling and dimensions
You only need one glance at the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric (officially called simply C-Class) to know that it’s entirely different to the existing petrol-, diesel- or hybrid-powered C-Class that’s been around since 2021. Yes, the two cars are about the same size (more on that in a bit), but the electric version looks more like a hatchback than a saloon, with a roofline that slopes gently down to almost the very end of the boot lid. There’s also, for the first time on a C-Class saloon, an extra window in the C-pillar, behind the rear door.
Up front, the electric C-Class has Mercedes-Benz’s latest ‘Iconic’ front grille, which is bigger and bolder than the petrol model’s and tapers towards the bottom rather than the top. The headlights appear to flow into it, and feature striking lighting signatures bearing Mercedes’ three-pointed star. Overall the front of the car has a very similar look to the closely related all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC (initially referred to as the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology) that was revealed in late 2025.
As well as its hatchback-like shape (Mercedes prefers to call it ‘coupe-like’), the electric C-Class has flush door handles to improve aerodynamic efficiency – and therefore range. The rear end looks dramatically different to the existing C-Class’s, with a full-width black panel that contains the Mercedes emblem and two circular lighting signatures – each with a three-pointed star inside – at either side.
As with the GLC, the electric C-Class is larger than the petrol version. Although only 1cm or so wider, it’s just over 13cm longer and 6cm taller and has a wheelbase that’s almost 10cm longer. It’s also slightly larger, in every dimension, than the new BMW i3.
Thanks to its unusually long wheelbase (it’s actually 1mm longer than that of the 
Initially the only model available will be the C400 4Matic, which has two electric motors giving a total of 483bhp and four-wheel drive as standard. As in the electric GLC, there’s a two-speed transmission that improves efficiency at motorway speeds. Maximum range is 473 miles, which is impressive in isolation but 86 miles short of what the BMW i3 can offer.
