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Mercedes-Benz C-Class takes a sporty electric avatar and it’s coming to the US next year

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Car, Transportation, Vehicle
Mercedes-Benz

The C-Class has always been the sweet spot in Mercedes-Benz’s lineup — refined enough to feel premium. Now, for the first time, it’s going fully electric. Mercedes unveiled the all-new electric C-Class on April 20 at a world premiere in South Korea, and the US is already on the roadmap, with the first deliveries expected sometime in the first half of 2027.

The numbers are hard to ignore

The US-bound variant is called the C400 4Matic, and it arrives with a 94.5-kWh battery pack powering two electric motors. Combined output sits at 482 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, enough to get the car from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is capped at 130 mph. Range is where things get even more interesting. Mercedes hasn’t released official EPA figures yet, but based on the European WLTP rating of 473 miles, estimates are landing around 400 miles for the US cycle. That would put it in competitive territory for a performance-oriented luxury sedan.

The electric C-Class rides on a purpose-built EV platform, and you can tell from the proportions. The wheelbase has grown by 3.8 inches over the current gasoline model, which translates directly into more legroom front and rear. The shift to electric also opens up a front trunk with 3.5 cubic feet of space, while the rear trunk offers a generous 16.6 cubic feet. For those who need to tow, the car is rated for up to 3,968 pounds. The sedan also has a drag coefficient of 0.22, which is notably slipperier than the electric GLC’s 0.26. That aerodynamic advantage is a big reason the C-Class can cover more ground per charge than its crossover sibling. Plus, the C400 4Matic supports DC fast charging at up to 330 kW. That means roughly 200 miles of added range in just 10 minutes, and a 10-to-80-percent charge takes around 22 minutes. For those using older 400-volt infrastructure, a standard DC converter maintains compatibility.

The tech inside

Three different dashboard setups are available depending on how much screen space you want in your life. The flagship option is the Hyperscreen, a nearly 39-inch seamless glass panel that stretches across almost the full width of the cabin. Below that is the Superscreen, which pairs a 10.3-inch gauge cluster with two 14-inch touchscreens under a single sheet of glass. Base models swap the passenger-side screen for an animated decorative panel instead. The optional kit includes an air suspension with predictive damping that actually pulls data from Google Maps to prep the chassis for bumps before the car hits them. Rear-wheel steering is also available, rotating the rear axle up to 4.5 degrees at low speeds, reducing the turning circle to 36.7 feet. And if you want something a little theatrical, an optional panoramic roof features 162 illuminated stars.

More variants are coming, too. Mercedes has already confirmed a rear-wheel-drive single-motor version is in the works, with an estimated range of around 497 miles. US pricing for any variant hasn’t been announced yet, and the existing gasoline C-Class will continue to be sold alongside the electric model for buyers who aren’t ready to make the switch. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius described the car as raising everything customers love about the C-Class to the next level. Whether that holds up in the real world remains to be seen, but on paper at least, the electric C-Class looks like a step forward.

Shimul Sood
Shimul is a contributor at Digital Trends, with over five years of experience in the tech space.
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