Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV's screen-heavy interior revealed

ausThe interior of the next Mercedes-Benz C-Class electric sedan has been revealed ahead of the BMW i3 electric sedan rival’s full unveiling on April 20, 2026.

Officially named ‘C-Class with EQ Technology’, the new electric vehicle (EV) appears to follow the same design and technology direction as the GLC EQ electric SUV revealed at the Munich motor show in Germany last year.

The GLC EQ is due Down Under in the second half of 2026, with the C-Class EV set to follow in 2027.

The C-Class EV rides on the same 800V MB.EA platform as the GLC SUV, sharing little with its internal combustion-engined counterpart, and features a massive 39.1-inch display spanning almost the full width of the dashboard.

Traditional brand cues include silver-rimmed round air vents, a split centre console bin lid, and door-mounted electric seat adjustment switches.

There are physical buttons, too, including controls for ‘quieter’ air-conditioning and the surround-view camera, while the seats are a new design which the automaker says adapts to the occupant’s spine to reduce fatigue on long journeys.

Those journeys could stretch to more than 800km between recharges, based on the shared platform, which exceeds the current best-in-New Zealand range of 750km (WLTP) offered by the Tesla Model 3 Long Range.

Powertrain details for the C-Class EV are yet to be revealed, though the flagship GLC EQ features a 360kW dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, a two-speed gearbox, and a 94kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with a claimed WLTP range of 713km.

Cabin materials include genuine Nappa leather as well as vegan alternatives, while a premium Burmester surround-sound system is expected in higher-spec grades.

The full reveal next week follows the departure of long-time Mercedes-Benz design boss Gorden Wagener earlier this year, as the brand conceded its previous EVs were too polarising.

Test mules of the C-Class EQ have featured the bold retro ‘iconic grille’ seen on the electric GLC, with the new sedan understood to be close to production and unlikely to undergo significant design changes.

Previous EVs such as the EQE and EQS featured teardrop-shaped designs, which new design boss Bastian Baudy has indicated the brand will move away from.

In 2025, the German marque sold 2.2 million cars and vans globally, including 168,823 EVs – the latter a decline of 8.8 per cent year-on-year.