Mercedes C-Class set to go fully-electric in 2026
Mercedes' compact executive car is set for a new look and all-electric power, and our exclusive image shows what it could look like
You’re looking at the next-generation, all-electric Mercedes C-Class that will be ready to do battle in the compact executive car class from 2026. The company car has long been the backbone of premium brands, and this looks set to continue as all the major players ready EV replacements over the next 24 months.
Our exclusive image previews how the new C-Class will retain lots of fundamental Mercedes design cues, finding a balance between the futuristic EQ saloons of today and the firm’s more traditional combustion-powered (ICE) models. Yet more than just a softening of the aesthetic language introduced with the EQS, it’s also a reference to Merc’s long-term EV plans.
That’s because the new C-Class will use a modified version of the current EQE’s EVA2 platform, rather than a new-generation electric architecture. In fact, Mercedes has decided to put a pin in the development of that set-up, called MB.EA, 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.”
This suggests that, like BMW and Audi, Mercedes will continue to offer its core models with both EV and ICE alternatives. In the case of the C-Class, that would mean the current model would be sold alongside the new one. Mercedes’ EQ naming convention will also disappear eventually.
But 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 Merc’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, round tail that’ll house a traditional saloon boot opening.
Just like the CLA Concept, and the forthcoming production version of it we’ll see early next year, the new C-Class will feature a new front-end design, as seen in our image. It will swap the current ‘mask’ that joins the headlights and central grille graphic with a separated full-width light bar. This will then 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 to get a handle on more concrete technical details, but given its EVA2-based platform, we suspect it’ll 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, Merc 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 high-performance rubber.
What Mercedes won’t offer this time around is an estate bodystyle. This will instead be replaced by a C-badged SUV that’ll actually beat the new C-Class to market, arriving some time next year.
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