Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV undercuts BMW i3 on price, not power
Australian pricing for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV has been revealed, offering more power than the similarly sized BMW i3, but a shorter driving range.
Mercedes-Benz has announced Australian pricing for its new controversially styled C-Class electric sedan, and it’s clear to see who the brand has taken aim at.
Revealed in April, the C-Class EV offers a radically different front-end design to that of its petrol-powered sibling, with its striking grille incorporating Mercedes’ historic ‘three-slat’ appearance, as well as featuring 1050 illuminated dots.
Coming to Australia in C400 4Matic Electric guise, the C-Class EV will be priced from $105,700 before on-road costs, or about $6000 more than the petrol C300 sedan.
Arguably the biggest rival to the Mercedes-Benz C400 4Matic is the new BMW i3, the electric sibling to the 3 Series, long the C-Class’s greatest competitor.
While there is just one C-Class EV on offer in Australia, BMW has two i3s coming, starting with the i3 40 xDrive which opens from $96,900 plus on-roads, and reaching $112,900 for the flagship i3 50 xDrive.
Unlike the petrol-powered C-Class with its more traditional ‘three-box’ design approach, the EV has been smoothed off at the rear with a sloping coupe-like back window and boot, similar to the outgoing BMW i4, and different to the i3.
Measuring 4883mm long, 1892mm wide and 1503mm tall, it’s 128mm longer, 72mm wider and 53mm higher than the petrol C-Class sold in Australia, while its 2962mm wheelbase also represents an extension of 97mm.
This has aided the electric C-Class gaining more interior and luggage storage capacity, with its boot space increasing from 455 litres to 470 litres, while there’s an additional 101 litres of space under the bonnet.
The C-Class EV sedan produces up to 360kW and 800Nm from its dual-motor powertrain, representing big increases over the BMW i3 50 xDrive’s 345kW and 645Nm outputs.
Mercedes quotes a 0-100km/h time of 4.0 seconds, faster again than the i3 50 xDrive’s 4.7-second claim.
Fed by a 94kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery, the C400 4Matic has a driving range of 753km on the WLTP lab test cycle.
This drops it between the BMW i3 40 xDrive (566km to 710km from its 82.8kWh battery) and the i3 50 xDrive (912km from its 108.7kWh battery).
The C-Class EV can be charged at up to 330kW, providing an additional 325km of range in just 10 minutes.
All Australian examples are fitted with the AMG Line and the Night Package, providing sharper exterior styling with dark exterior accents. 20-inch AMG wheels are also standard.
The AMG Line treatment continues inside where there's a multifunction sports steering wheel wrapped in Artico man-made leather, AMG floor mats and a black fabric roof lining
Mercedes’ huge MBUX Hyperscreen is also available for those who opt for the $8200 Luxury Package, incorporating a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen and 14-inch front-passenger display in one screen. This also adds ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and an illuminated star pattern for the sunroof.
Australian deliveries are due to begin in early 2027.
