Against Mercedes’ earlier EQ models, the new electric C-Class looks far more conventional…at first.
If you followed the debut of the new electric GLC SUV, then you have a pretty good inclination where Mercedes-Benz is thinking for the EV version of the iconic C-Class sedan. And so it turns out: This new electric C-Class features a distinct look to its gas-powered counterpart, though there’s far more familiarity here than there’s been with, say, the EQ models. With new styling, a new electrical architecture and a dramatic new interior, there’s a lot to cover with the first model set to launch next year, the C400 4Matic.
From the front, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV carries many of the same cues to the GLC400. You get the same W111-style chrome grille (illuminated, of course, with 1,050 light points) and the same sort of headlight arrangement and lower fascia. While this new model is still a four-door executive sedan at its core, the side profile brings in more of a fastback design for aerodynamics as well as style, leading to a markedly different rear end look to the standard C-Class, with the connected light clusters, more angular decklid and the obvious lack of conventional exhaust, though the trim still makes it look like there’s more going on with the lower fascia.
Overall, this new C400 4Matic EV rides on a 3.5-inch longer wheelbase (116.6 inches), and measures out 3.8 inches longer overall. That gives the passengers a bit more space, while the rear trunk provides 17 cubic feet of cargo room, and there’s a further 4 cubic feet in the frunk.
The major headline of the new electric C-Class is its interior, mainly due to that huge screen.
And the front passengers may particularly enjoy this new C-Class much more than the old one, thanks to the optional 39.1-inch Hyperscreen. Now, we’ve seen this technology in other Mercedes before (and especially EVs), but they’ve always had separate units under a single bezel. So, when the automakers says the EQS has a 56-inch span of screen space, we’re still talking about different displays for the center area, the driver and the passenger. That’s not the case here, as everything is part of one single, harmonious whole. If you are the type to enjoy a lot of screen space, this (much like the GLC) is by far the most appealing way to do it.
That said, fitting such a massive screen — and again, this time it is a single screen — the physical button layout is minimalistic, at best. You get Mercedes’ typical dual-level steering wheel spokes, and you get some hard controls on the center console for major vehicle functions. As ever, you get a stalk for the gear selector and the turn indicators/wipers…and that’s pretty much it.
Everything else is heaped into the MBUX infotainment system, though automakers have been making big noise about “zero layer” systems. You don’t have to fight through menus upon menus to do what you want, as everything is readily available with a single tap. Or, because this car is of course loaded with ChatGPT-4o (or “Omni”, a OpenAI calls it), you can ask your virtual assistant to do it. Augmented Reality for the head-up display is still available here, showing up in an 18-inch area on the windshield.
OK, but how much will it cost?
Right now, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz C400 4Matic EV is the only model which Mercedes is sharing technical information about. An 800-volt electrical architecture defines the brand’s latest-generation EVs, promising faster charging capbility. Underneath, the C400 gets a 94-kWh battery pack, as well as two electric motors good for a combined 482 horsepower. That means this electric C-Class can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, so it’s still pretty quick despite not being an AMG model. The powertrain itself is a little more complex than you’d usually expect, as the rear motor gets a two-speed gearbox. Its lower 11:1 first gear aids acceleration, while a longer 5:1 ratio on the second gear helps high-speed efficiency. The front motor gets a single-speed on its own, and can disconnect entirely to further improve efficiency.
With the 800-volt setup, the electric C-Class can handle up to 330-kW DC fast-charging, on a 350-kW-capable charging station. Mercedes claims up to 472 miles of driving range using the more generous WLTP cycle, though it’s likely EPA figures will land somewhere in the 325 to 350-mile ballpark. Still, that’s just as good as a Tesla Model 3.
But what about pricing? Well, we don’t really have an analog to a past C-Class EV since this is totally new, so we’ll have to wait and see where Mercedes-Benz thinks its entry-level electric sedan will be competitive. If it does take direct aim at the Tesla Model 3, then it’d have to pretty much cost the same as a gasoline-powered C-Class — around $50,000. That’s not terribly likely, in my opinion, though what may be more plausible is to see the C400 land between the CLA and the EQE sedan, which would put it somewhere in the $60,000 ball park. Again, that is just a guess at this point, but we should hopefully know more in the coming months.
The 2027 Mercedes-Benz C400 4Matic is due to arrive in the first half of 2027. Other models may follow the initial launch, expanding the pricing bracket in either direction from this jump point.
