Mercedes’ new BMW i3 rival will be sold alongside the engine-powered C-Class, despite looking nothing alike.
For the first time, there’s now an electric version of the Mercedes C-Class.
There’ll be multiple versions with different battery sizes and power outputs, but the launch edition impresses with a quoted range of 472 miles and nearly 500hp.
The electric C-Class shares its underpinnings with the engine-less GLC, which means a 94.5kWh battery and an 800V electrical network. Find a powerful enough charger and the C-Class will gulp up electrons at up to 330kW – a 10-minute charge will add almost 200 miles.
However, the ability to charge at more common 400V fast-charging stations will only be optional.
The C400 launch model is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive car, although upcoming rear-drive versions should manage closer to 500 miles on a charge.
Mercedes promises that its new electric car will be the sportiest C-Class ever, but also that it will be as smooth as an S-Class on long journeys. Rear-wheel steering (with a maximum angle of 4.5 degrees) boosts low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability, while the adaptive suspension uses Car-to-X and Google Maps data to adjust its characteristics on the fly.
In almost all circumstances, the electric C-Class will use motor regeneration for braking, with the physical discs only being used for emergency stops. A heat pump is also used for cabin heating, which is a more efficient method and brings the interior up to temperature much quicker than in engine-powered Mercedes models.
The C-Class uses a two-speed automatic gearbox, one for normal driving and setting off, and the other for improved efficiency at motorway speeds.
If you like seeing smudgey fingerprints, the electric C-Class is for you. Like the e-GLC, the C-Class offers up to 39.1 inches of screen, although the passenger-facing screen is optional. But tick the box and you’ve got effectively wall-to-wall screens. The new-generation MBUX infotainment system includes multiple AI voice assistants, presumably so you can find one that you agree with.
Above you is a panoramic sunroof featuring controllable opacity and over 160 individual LED Mercedes stars, which are linked to the 1,000 or so LED lights that make up the ambient lighting package.
The electric Mercedes C-Class looks nothing like the petrol one, with a completely different shape that’s more aerodynamic to boost electric range. At the front, mean-looking LED headlights are joined by a snouty ‘grille’ that consists of 1,050 illuminated dots.
This new car sits above the electric CLA, and will compete against the BMW i3, Tesla Model 3, Mazda 6e and BYD Seal. Prices are likely to start from around £55,000 for the dual-motor car featured here.
Marvellous Mercedes models at Motorpoint
Shop used Mercedes electric cars for sale at Motorpoint, or read our guide to the different Mercedes models you can choose from.
