After the Mercedes-Benz GLC EV, the C-Class EV Steps Into the Spotlight

• The electric sedan will be built on the new MB.EA architecture with 800-volt technology.
• Like the GLC EQ, the new C-Class EQ is expected to debut with a 94 kWh battery pack.
• Mercedes says the new sedan will be able to travel up to 497 miles (800 km) on a single charge.

Mercedes-Benz isn’t just taking on the second-generation BMW iX3 with the unveiling of the new GLC featuring EQ Technology in Germany, it’s also preparing to launch an all-electric version of the C-Class to challenge the production version of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse. A first teaser image has now been released.

All about the Nose

The darkened photo, revealed during the GLC’s debut, shows that the upcoming sedan will follow a similar design path with a massive front grille. This grille, capable of lighting up through hundreds of small LEDs, will give the electric C-Class a commanding road presence, though it may leave some brand loyalists scratching their heads. It also features four illuminated horizontal slats, one more than the three found on the GLC EQ.

Elsewhere, the teaser indicates that the electric C-Class will be fitted with Mercedes-Benz’s latest headlight design, complete with star-shaped LED daytime running lights. The overall proportions are expected to remain close to the combustion-powered C-Class, with which it will be sold alongside.

High Tech EV

Underpinning the sedan will be the MB.EA platform, already used by the GLC EQ. This means the same 94 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 800-volt architecture can be expected, enabling charging speeds of up to 330 kW. Perhaps most impressive is Mercedes’ claim that the new model will deliver up to 497 miles (800 km) of range, a figure that would set a new benchmark in this segment. Following the footsteps of the CLA anf the GLC, the sedan is likely to wear the nameplate C-Class with EQ Technology.

Details on the powertrain remain uncertain, but several rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations are anticipated.

Following the GLC

Little is known about the interior at this stage. The new sedan could arrive with the massive 39.1-inch seamless MBUX Hyperscreen seen in the GLC EQ, or it may feature the slightly more modest Superscreen introduced with the latest CLA. The latter setup combines a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch central infotainment screen, and a 14-inch passenger display.