New electric Mercedes C-Class confirmed for 2026
Mercedes is taking a leaf out of Audi’s book by selling a bespoke EV version of a core ICE model with the same name.
Mercedes has said it will launch a bespoke BEV C-Class by the end of 2026, joining the existing internal combustion-engined version that will also be given a mid-life update in the next six to 18 months. The confirmation came during an investors’ event, alongside news that the firm’s brand-new BEV variant of the GLC SUV, plus a ‘string of BEV models and electrified high-tech ICE models from Mercedes-AMG’, will also form part of a busy 2026.
The most seminal of these will be the all-new BEV C-Class, which will be a ground-up model designed purely with a battery-electric powertrain, that will sit alongside the current ICE-generation cars.
This brings with it lots of new design and engineering elements, as revealed in our exclusive images. The new C-Class will retain lots of fundamental Mercedes design cues, finding a balance between today’s futuristic EQ saloon and the firm’s more traditional combustion-powered models. Yet more than just a softening of the aesthetic language introduced with the EQS, it’s also a reference to the brand’s long-term EV plans.
That’s because the fresh C-Class will use a modified version of the current EQE’s EVA2 platform, rather than a new-generation electric architecture. Mercedes has decided to halt development of that set-up, called MB.EA, and is instead choosing to focus on upgrading the architecture in use today.
This may sound like a backwards step, but instead it will allow Mercedes to divert some of its resources to fund the ICE development that it needs for a range of powertrain options into the next decade.
In a statement, Mercedes told us: “The pace of transformation is determined by market conditions and the needs of our customers. We will build the perfect Mercedes-Benz for every customer. Into the 2030s, we can flexibly offer vehicles with both a fully electric drivetrain, or an electrified hi-tech combustion engine.”
Looking more specifically at the future of the C-Class, our image – based on the first wave of prototypes we’ve spotted testing on public roads – already gives us a clear indication of the company’s plans.
First, it appears Mercedes will revert to a more familiar set of proportions by pushing the windscreen back into a more traditional position. This will not only give the new model a longer bonnet (and the option of storage space in the nose), but also potentially address some of the criticisms around the driving position of the larger EQE and EQS saloons.
We expect the new C-Class’s body to be clean and free of too many surface treatments, with a neat, rounded tail that will house a traditional saloon boot opening.
Just as with the CLA Concept, and the forthcoming production version of it we’ll see early next year, the new C-Class will feature a fresh front-end design. It will swap the current ‘mask’ that joins the headlights and central grille graphic with a separated full-width light bar. This will sit above a design graphic in place of a traditional Mercedes grille. Other features, such as flush door handles, will mimic those of the current range.
The new C-Class is still too far off for us to get a handle on more concrete technical details. But given its EVA2-based platform, we suspect it will feature the usual arrangement of lithium-ion batteries housed under the cabin floor, with a single rear-mounted motor as standard, and the option of a second motor placed up front on high-spec models, giving all-wheel drive.
Battery sizes are likely to be smaller than those in current EQ models. But we expect that, following on from Mercedes’ new focus on outright efficiency, the car could crack up to 400 miles from a single charge without resorting to a huge EQS-sized 120kWh battery pack. Current EV2-based EQ models have a peak charging speed of 200kW on a DC fast charger, speeds that will likely be matched or improved upon by the new C-Class.
Of course, Mercedes will also offer high-performance AMG models, one of which has already been spied testing with 21-inch wheels and a set of carbon-ceramic brakes – complete with gold calipers and uprated tyres.
What Mercedes won’t offer this time around is an estate bodystyle. This will instead be replaced by a C-badged GLC SUV that will actually beat the new C-Class to market, also arriving some time next year.
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