Mercedes has finally given its best-selling saloon the electric treatment, and it's gunning straight for the new BMW i3. The 2027 C-Class Electric lands next year with a 94 kWh battery, up to 760 km of WLTP range, 330 kW rapid charging and nearly 500 hp in its launch spec. On paper? It's one of the most compelling premium EVs heading to Irish driveways.

Key specs at a glance

• Range: up to 760 km (WLTP)
• Battery: 94 kWh usable (NMC), 800V architecture
• Charging: 330 kW DC (10–80% in around 22 mins)
• Power: 482 hp (C400 4Matic, dual motor)
• 0–100 km/h: around 4 seconds
• On sale: 2027

Performance: surprisingly sporty

The launch-spec C400 4Matic pairs a 402hp rear motor with a 215hp front "helper" motor for a combined 482hp and 800Nm of torque. That's enough to reach 0–100 km/h in around four seconds.

The clever bit is the two-speed rear transmission, an 11:1 first gear for proper shove off the line, and a taller 5:1 second for efficient motorway cruising. The front motor decouples entirely when you don't need it, squeezing every kilometre out of the battery. More affordable C250 RWD and C300 4Matic versions will follow, with a full-fat AMG variant inevitable.

Range and charging: this is where it gets interesting

The 94 kWh NMC pack sits on Mercedes' new MB.EA platform and runs on 800V architecture, which means genuinely fast charging. Plug into a 350 kW rapid (think Ionity or ESB's high-power network) and you'll pull 330 kW, adding serious kilometres in the time it takes to grab a coffee. On a 400V charger, an onboard converter lets you pull up to 175 kW, which is still excellent.

Expect 560 km+ of real-world range, with the official WLTP figure landing at 760 km. A cheaper LFP battery option is also coming for buyers who want the badge without the biggest price tag.

Design: the new Mercedes EV face

Up front, you get the same heritage-inspired grille as the GLC Electric, lit up with 1,050 LEDs replacing the old ventilation holes. Micro-LED matrix headlights and three-pointed-star daytime running lights finish the look.

The silhouette is a long-bonnet fastback, with the wheelbase stretched nearly 10 cm over the current petrol C-Class to claw back interior space lost to the battery pack. 18 or 20-inch wheels fill the arches, and there's a 102-litre frunk up front for your charging cables.

Interior: screens, stars and no animal glue

The cabin is dominated by the 39.1-inch Hyperscreen running across the dashboard, backlit by 1,000 micro-LEDs so the passenger display can be dimmed independently. A cheaper Superscreen option splits it into three panels behind one piece of glass, and an augmented-reality head-up display is available on top.

Some nice touches:

• Starry Sky Control panoramic roof with 162 glowing three-pointed stars
• Nappa leather with twisted-diamond stitching
• Massage, heating, cooling and "4D sound" vibrating seats
• The first interior certified 100% free of animal-derived materials by The Vegan Society
• MBUX Virtual Assistant with Google Gemini and ChatGPT built in

Rear space is decent and headroom is good, but taller passengers will notice the battery-raised floor means slightly short thigh support.

How it drives (on paper)

Mercedes is calling this the "sportiest C-Class ever." Bold claim, but the ingredients are there: a low centre of gravity, optional AirMatic air suspension, adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering up to 4.5 degrees. It even uses Car-to-X data from 1.6 million connected Mercs to soften over known speed bumps and warn you about potholes, something that should come in handy on more than a few Irish back roads.

Should you wait for it?

If you're shopping in the premium EV saloon space, yes. The 2027 C-Class Electric is shaping up to be one of the most complete packages coming to Ireland, offering serious range, genuinely fast charging, Mercedes luxury and the tech to go toe-to-toe with the incoming BMW i3. We'll reserve our final verdict until we've driven it, but on specs alone, this one is hard to ignore.