Electric Mercedes C-Class goes on sale and production of new GLC kicks off

Mercedes-Benz opened the order books for its newest electric cars in Germany. The brand is bringing its most famous nameplate, the C-Class, into the world of battery power. The C-Class has always been a top seller for the German automaker, and now, drivers who want a familiar luxury sedan without the tailpipe can finally get one. The first model available is the C 400 4MATIC, which mixes high performance with a battery that promises a serious range.

Private customers in Germany will pay at least $79,323, which includes taxes. Business customers get what looks like a slightly better deal at $66,700 - but that's the price before taxes. If you do not want to buy the car outright, Mercedes offers leasing for $551 a month. That might seem like a lot of money for a compact sedan, but Mercedes packs a lot of technology into the frame, trying to make sure buyers feel like they are getting a premium product for their cash.

The C 400 4MATIC is not a slow car. It has 360 kW of power and 590 lb-ft of torque. This allows the sedan to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 4.0 seconds. For a car that people usually use for commuting, that is plenty of performance. The top speed is limited to 130 mph, which should be more than enough for any highway. The all-wheel-drive system helps the car stay stable on the road, even when the weather turns bad.

The C 400 4MATIC can travel up to 473 miles on a single charge, according to the WLTP testing standard. Thanks to the 800V system, the car charges very quickly. If you plug it into a fast charger, you can add 202 miles of range in only 10 minutes. This means a trip from Berlin to Paris is possible with only one short stop for coffee and electricity.

Inside the cabin, Mercedes installed the MBUX Hyperscreen - nearly 40 inches of glass stretches across the front of the car. The system uses the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System to keep everything running smoothly. It even has a virtual assistant that talks to the driver. The car also offers 16.6 ft³ of cargo space in the trunk and another 3.57 ft³ in the front trunk, or "frunk."

The C-Class is all new, but the electric GLC SUV is already a massive hit. Mercedes says this SUV has more orders than any other electric model in the company's history. The electric GLC is built on the same assembly lines as the gas and hybrid versions in Bremen, Germany, allowing the factory to change how many of each type they make based on what people are buying. The GLC 400 4MATIC offers a range of up to 444 miles.

The batteries for these vehicles come from a factory in Kamenz. These batteries are modern and efficient, allowing for the same fast charging speeds seen in the sedan. In the GLC, a 10-minute charge adds about 190 miles of driving distance. To make the drive more comfortable, Mercedes offers an air suspension system called AIRMATIC and optional rear-axle steering.

Mercedes employs about 10,500 people at the Bremen plant to keep up with the demand for these EVs. This factory builds eleven different models, proving that making cars is a very complicated business. The company is already planning more versions of the electric C-Class for the future. One upcoming model will have rear-wheel drive and should travel about 497 miles on a full charge.

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