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Korean neon meets German engineering as Mercedes globally premieres first fully electric C-Class in Seoul

Published: 20 Apr. 2026, 20:04 Updated: 20 Apr. 2026, 21:39

KIM MIN-YOUNG
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Ola Kallenius, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, speaks during the world premiere event for the all-new electric C-Class held at pop-up venue XYZ Seoul in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on April 20. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

Mercedes-Benz debuted the all-new electric C-Class in Seoul on Monday, holding the vehicle's world premiere in Korea ahead of any other market, a signal of the German automaker's deepening commitment to Korea, its third-largest market worldwide after the United States and China.

It marks the first time Mercedes-Benz has held a world premiere in Korea since the company formally established its Korean subsidiary in 2003. Around 80 international journalists were invited to the event, which took place at XYZ Seoul, Seongsu-dong, Seongdong District, eastern Seoul.

"It's great to be back in Seoul," said Ola Kallenius, chairman and chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. The CEO opened the presentation saying that what brings him to Seoul "are not my personal travel preferences" but "the appreciation for the unique combination that Seoul is built on," where "the past and the future coexist in a beautiful way."

True to his words, the event nodded to Korean culture, with the venue featuring bright neon bar and restaurant signs and a large central space to display the new C-Class. The reveal trailer was a dizzying montage of various Korean heritage sites.

Pop-up venue XYZ Seoul at Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, is filled with journalists and staff before the world premiere event of the all-new C-Class of automaker Mercedes-Benz on April 20. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

"Centuries-old palaces, temples, and hanok [traditional Korean housing] villages right next to skyscrapers, billboards and one of the world's most advanced tech ecosystems," said Kallenius. "A perfect blend of heritage and innovation. This also describes the ultimate core of Mercedes-Benz."

Another nod to Korean culture was the Korean celebrities who attended the event. Singer Jeon So-mi of girl group IOI was in the vehicle when the vehicle finally rolled out into the center of the venue. Rapper Zico later performed in front of the journalists that filled up the venue.

The integration of business and culture, however, was perhaps how chief technology officer Jorg Burzer and sales and customer experience chief Mathias Geisen explained the car's specs with actor Park Jae-min, after a brief skit that starts with a conversation at a makeshift bar over soju.

Mathias Geisen, sales and customer experience chief, third from right, Chief Technology Officer Mathias Geisen, second from right, and actor Park Jae-min perform a skit during the all-new electric C-Class during the vehicle's world premiere event held at pop-up venue XYZ Seoul in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on April 20. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

Chief Technology Officer Jorg Berzer, bottom left, pulls out a bag out of the trunk of the all-new electric C-Class for actor Park Jae-min, bottom right, during the vehicle's world premiere event held at pop-up venue XYZ Seoul in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on April 20. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

The new model is the first fully electric version of the C-Class, which has been the brand's second best-selling model series in Korea after the E-Class.

The electric C-Class features a driving range of up to 762 kilometers (473 miles) on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure standard. It also supports fast charging, enabling up to 325 kilometers of range with a 10-minute charge under optimal conditions.

The vehicle is equipped with an 800-volt battery system and incorporates energy efficiency technologies such as a heat pump and regenerative braking system. It also supports bidirectional charging, allowing the car to function as an external power source depending on market regulations.

Ola Kallenius, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, third from right, Mathias Geisen, sales and customer experience chief, second from right, and Chief Technology Officer Mathias Geisen pose for the cameras in front of the all-new electric C-Class during the vehicle's world premiere event held at pop-up venue XYZ Seoul in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on April 20. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

The vehicle runs on the company’s new operating system, MB. OS, which integrates infotainment, driving functions and charging into a unified software platform. Over-the-air updates are supported, allowing features to be updated without visiting service centers.

A new MBUX virtual assistant with generative artificial intelligence capabilities is also included, enabling more complex voice interactions. Navigation features such as augmented reality displays and real-time route guidance are designed to assist drivers in urban environments. The company said specifications may vary depending on the market at launch.

Mercedes-Benz is also aiming to bring Nvidia's autonomous driving platform Alpamayo to Korea as early as next year, though the timeline could be delayed depending on Korean regulatory approval. The company announced at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January that the CLA, the brand's C-segment sedan, would be the first production vehicle to feature Alpamayo, a family of open-source AI models developed by Nvidia for autonomous driving.

“It's a level 2++ point-to-point navigation system, and we are very, very proud of the system,” said Burzer during a preview event earlier that day at Andaz Seoul Gangnam in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, when asked about why the premier was being held in Seoul. “In principle, the Nvidia software stack is divided into two layers. The first one, the basic one, is a classic layer and the Alpamayo layer is an end-to-end software layer, which is providing much more efficiency, faster learning and training ability.

The all-new electric C-Class [MERCEDES-BENZ]

The interior of the all-new electric C-Class [MERCEDES-BENZ]

“This is extremely important, especially in environments in big cities like Seoul where the system is really learning much faster.”

Mercedes-Benz sold 68,467 vehicles in Korea last year, ranking second among imported brands behind BMW, according to industry data. Korea remains one of the automaker’s key markets globally, reflecting strong demand for premium sedans and helping explain the decision to stage the electric C-Class premier in Seoul.

Update, April 20: Added details of the premiere event.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]