Mercedes Isn't Going All-Electric With the C-Class-Here's What's Coming Instead
No More ICE Variant For The C-Class?
One of the questions we had when Mercedes launched the C-Class was: "Where is the ICE variant?" When BMW launched the new 3 Series, they told us to wait; it's still coming. However, Mercedes-Benz wasn't as clear right off the bat.
German publication, Autobild, sat down with MB head honcho, Ola Källenius, to ask about the C-Class's future, knowing that this is the first time that the nameplate has received the full-electric treatment.
The First All-Electric C-Class
When asked how the model turned out after its development, Källenius said that the C-Class still has to maintain a sporty drive while remaining composed. Thanks to the air suspension, rear-axle steering, and long wheelbase, Källenius mentioned that it almost feels like a class above.
Putting this into more real terms, the C-Class that Källenius is describing is likely the one that will come with all the bells and whistles. It could also hint that Mercedes is going up in price with the C-Class and possibly butt heads with other higher-end nameplates in its lineup.
After that, Källenius goes into the technology that the new C-Class comes with, stating that it is the latest and greatest from the German automaker, taking advantage of AI, with a sea of pixels taking center stage on the dashboard.
Autobild counters by asking whether Mercedes-Benz addressed customer complaints about the infotainment systems of prior models. Källenius assured that his team placed emphasis on ease of use and put everything that is needed at the front of the system. That means less digging – or so we hope.
Price, Other Variants, and the Answer
When asked about the price of the top-of-the-line C-Class 400, which is set to retail at €70,000, Källenius said there will also be more affordable entry-level models to be unveiled at the end of the year. Referring to the all-electric C-Class variants, Källenius stated that entry-level versions will use cost-effective LFP technology, otherwise known as Lithium iron phosphate.
Will we see another AMG C-Class? Källenius said that there will be something, but he refused to comment further. I do believe there is room for AMG to play in electric vehicles, but in the following question we finally get our answer.
Yes, according to Källenius, we will continue to see combustion engines in the hoods of C-Classes, but there is a catch. Later this year, the combustion engine variant will be released and be Euro 7 compliant. There will also be a plug-in hybrid variant with a supposed all-electric range of 62 miles (100 kilometers).
In terms of filling out a lineup, we're happy to see ICE C-Classes in the future of Mercedes-Benz, even happier that AMG is going to play around with the model, and ecstatic that Källenius has even confirmed a plug-in hybrid wagon variant for the C-Class. He also stated that a pure-electric C-Class wagon isn't on the books for now.
Not Yet All Electric For Now
Mercedes-Benz is doing something like what BMW is doing. Putting an electric emphasis on one of its most popular models seems to be the popular move right now. Love it or hate it, it appears that Mercedes isn't going to leave the C-Class as an electric-only model for long.
Källenius stated that we have a lot to look forward to from the new C-Class, and hopefully, we will get more details as the year progresses, perhaps even a sneak peek at what AMG's working on.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 3:45 AM.