Models and strategies.

Mercedes reinvents C-Class in electric format and relaunches production in the USA

The German manufacturer expands the Alabama plant with $7 billion, where the GLC EQL will also be builtThe tariffs-strategic factory has so far produced the large SUVs, but assembly of the new electric C-Class is also expected

by Massimo Mambretti

5 May 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2026 has all the right cards to be called Mercedes' golden year right now. In fact, after crowning the debut of the CLA compact range by winning The Car of the Year award, it is launching an offensive with which it is expanding its new EQ electric range with the C-class and consolidating its presence in the United States.

And not only to improve commercial performance in the US domestic market, but also to reinforce performance in other parts of the world and to update technologies across the range.

Objectives supported by investments of seven billion dollars over the next four years presented by Ola Kallenius, president of Mercedes, during the 30th birthday celebrations of the plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The brand's most important plant outside of Germany, which has come to total production of five million suvs. Now Tuscaloosa, which produces the largest suvs, from the GLE and GLS to the electric EQE and EQS, together with the AMG and Maybach versions, is becoming increasingly important for the brand's global expansion together with the rest of Mercedes' American ecosystem, which also includes the van plant and the R&D centres scattered across Georgia, South Carolina and California.

The Alabama plant that allows Mercedes to sell 40 per cent of production domestically while avoiding tariffs and the remainder to the rest of the world, allowing the brand to be one of the leading exporters of cars in the US is being upgraded.

In fact, in addition to becoming fully powered by renewable energy by the middle of this year, and being expanded to accommodate the production line of the first next-generation electric Mercedes: the GLC EQ SUV currently only manufactured in Bremen, Germany. This means that the 800 Volt MB.EA architecture and related technologies will arrive in Tuscaloosa.

In particular, the MB.OS operating system with Ai that manages and connects infotainment, automated driving system, body functions, dynamism, powertrain, comfort and charging technologies based on parameters detected by radar and cameras.

An outfit that also benefits the new C-class EQ, which joins the versions with thermic engines and which on a technological level is a copy-paste of the suv.

This subcutaneous identity together with the Star's new American road map suggests that the electric C-class will also be produced in Tuscaloosa and, later, all other electrics based on the MB.EA architecture.

The first electric C-Class in history debuts as the GLC EQ in the 400 4Matic twin-engine all-wheel-drive version with 490 hp and is powered by a 94 kWh battery promising a range of 760 kilometres. Aesthetically, it is totally different from the one with thermal engines. In fact, it has a coupé line closed by a short tail that recalls that of the GT supercar defined by the stylistic canons brought to life by the GLC EQ, it sports the new interpretation of the iconic Mercedes grille and is larger, being almost 5 metres long.

The interior of this C-Class is furnished in a manner exactly mirroring that of the GLC EQ. The ambience, which also offers a great deal of space at the rear, is luxurious and hi-tech, particularly when the front of the dashboard is covered by the optional one-metre long Mbux Hyperscreen with a diagonal of 39.1", which seamlessly combines the cockpit, multimedia system and passenger screens in a single display.