Mercedes steps up China comeback with sporty electric C-Class

[SEOUL] Mercedes-Benz Group unveiled a fully electric version of the C-Class in Seoul on Monday (Apr 20), as it steps up its fight against Chinese rivals.

The German automaker’s latest model, a key entry point for new customers, is priced from about 50,000 euros (S$74,776) in Europe, and could travel up to 762 km on a single charge in test conditions.

Mercedes is betting the model will help stem its market-share losses in China, as it heads into the Beijing car show later this week.

The manufacturer’s push further upmarket is under strain from a deepening sales slump in the world’s biggest car market, where younger buyers are increasingly turning to Chinese brands offering similar technology at lower prices. 

Deliveries in China fell 27 per cent in the first quarter, raising questions about the appeal of the automaker’s heritage brand against cheaper rivals.

Introduced in the 1980s as the 190-series and later renamed the C-Class, the model became Mercedes’ core mid-sized saloon that has been key to attracting new customers to the brand.

It has long ranked among the company’s top-selling nameplates globally, traditionally drawing aspirational, young professionals and families buying their first Mercedes.

The company is now trying to recapture that appeal for an electric era.

The new C-Class will be built on its MB.EA architecture, a software-defined platform enabling remote updates, as it seeks to close the gap with technology-focused rivals such as Tesla and China’s Xiaomi. 

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It will also go head to head with BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse models, intensifying competition among German peers.

The new C-Class has an optional screen that spans the dash, alongside a choice of a vegan or leather-trimmed finish. 

Investors and analysts are watching closely to see whether Mercedes can regain its footing in China, where it is opting for more local partnerships and development to tailor products more closely to Chinese tastes.

Early signs of momentum are present elsewhere.

Electric vehicle (EV) sales have picked up in Europe, driven by the demand for the electric CLA saloon, an early test of Mercedes’ broader product offensive that includes about 40 new models in the coming years.

Yet, competition is intensifying at home. Chinese automakers are increasingly targeting wealthier customers in Europe, encroaching on territory long dominated by Porsche, BMW and Mercedes. BLOOMBERG