Mercedes-Benz revealed the first fully electric C-Class on April 20 with a quoted WLTP range of 473 miles (762 km) and a dual-motor top variant rated at 482 horsepower. The numbers put the car directly in the crosshairs of the new BMW i3 Neue Klasse, which claims up to 562 miles WLTP on its long-range variant. Mercedes is not leading on range anymore. It is chasing it.
The battery is a 94 kWh usable pack. DC fast charging recovers a claimed 202 miles in ten minutes on a compatible station. The 0 to 60 mph time for the C 400 4MATIC is 3.9 seconds. Rear-axle steering with 4.5 degrees of articulation cuts the turning radius to 11.2 meters, which for an E-segment sedan is closer to compact-car territory than to executive-class norms.
Drag, Power, and the 473-Mile Asterisk
Mercedes quotes a 0.22 drag coefficient, which is impressive for a conventional three-box sedan silhouette and puts the electric C-Class in the same aero class as the EQS. The 473-mile WLTP number comes with the usual caveats: WLTP is optimistic, the EPA cycle trims roughly 10 to 15 percent off that figure, and range-loss under high-speed or cold conditions will eat further. Mercedes expects the EPA rating to exceed 400 miles, which would still put the car above the current EQE sedan and roughly level with a Lucid Air Touring.
The comparison that will define the car is the BMW i3. Munich published 562-mile WLTP for the top i3 trim last quarter, and that is the number Mercedes has to explain every time a reviewer cross-shops the two.
The Cabin Gets the Headline Tech
The optional MBUX Hyperscreen measures 39.1 inches and uses more than 1,000 individually adjustable LED backlighting zones, which in plain language means the display dims and brightens in segments to improve contrast without washing the rest of the dashboard. MB.OS is the full software stack with over-the-air updates, an AI voice assistant, and augmented-reality navigation. The driver-assistance package is MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO at Level 2 autonomy, which matches the current Mercedes lineup and does not push any envelope on hands-off capability.
The panoramic glass roof optionally gets 162 illuminated stars across the surface, which is the kind of feature that does not photograph in a review and matters a lot in a showroom. That is a calculated choice. Mercedes is not competing with BMW on a spec sheet anymore. It is competing on interior theater.
AMG Tri-Motor Coming
Mercedes-AMG has a tri-motor version of the electric C-Class in development. Power, price, and timing were not confirmed. For reference, the current AMG EQE 53 produces 617 hp in standard trim and 677 hp with the Dynamic Plus package. The AMG tri-motor C-Class is unlikely to land below those numbers.
What Has Not Been Disclosed
Mercedes did not publish pricing, curb weight, or a confirmed retail launch date. The company said US market introduction begins first, with other regions to follow as local regulatory approval clears. For a global flagship refresh, that is a cautious rollout plan, and it tracks with what US dealers have been telling Mercedes for the last 18 months about soft electric sedan demand in the segment.
The current gasoline and hybrid C-Class W206 continues in production alongside the electric car, which means Mercedes is not betting its C-segment sedan volume entirely on battery-electric acceptance. That hedge is the story this launch tells most clearly. First customer deliveries in the US are expected in Q4 2026.
