- The 2026 CLA-Class will be offered as a full battery electric vehicle and a mild-hybrid
- New electric models differ from the EQ series due to platforms that can accommodate a range of powertrains
- AMG performance division will also debut its first series of electric vehicles
Mercedes-Benz will launch all-electric versions of three of its most popular models within the next two years.
During a presentation of its 2024 financial results Thursday, the automaker said the C-Class and E-Class sedans, as well as the GLC-Class crossover, would get all-electric derivatives as part of a new-product push that will see “dozens” of new or refreshed models launch globally by 2027.
That rollout starts later this year with the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class compact, which will be offered with all-electric and 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrains. The CLA EV is slated to debut numerous improvements over current-generation Mercedes EVs, including an 800-volt electrical architecture and a more clever regenerative braking system.
2025 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Those improvements will be shared with other compact models based on the new CLA’s Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA). They’ll likely be among the other models debuting over the next couple years, adding different body styles alongside the CLA, which is expected to remain a coupe-like sedan similar to the current generation.
While Mercedes’ current strategy centers on dedicated electric models (the EQB compact crossover being a notable exception), the CLA EV marks a shift toward offering the same vehicle with multiple powertrains—one that appears to be accelerating with the forthcoming C-Class, E-Class, and GLC-Class EVs.
Mercedes also promised “a string of launches” for its AMG performance division that will include the first EVs based on the new AMG.EA dedicated architecture. The first of these performance EVs, a fastback sedan that could replace the current AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, is scheduled to arrive this year, with an AMG electric SUV following sometime after that.
And the first of Mercedes’ next-generation electric vans is scheduled to launch in 2026. They’ll be based on yet another new platform, dubbed Van.EA. Mercedes recently reversed course and said it would also develop new combustion vans based on a companion platform as well.
Not all of Mercedes’ new and refreshed models will be electric, though. The automaker also confirmed a substantial update for its flagship S-Class sedan for next year, but didn’t mention an electric version. And last year the automaker delayed an EV sales target that would have seen it go all-electric (in at least some markets) by 2030, saying internal-combustion engines would stick around well into the next decade.
