Mercedes-Benz Korea seeks EV rebound with all-electric C-Class

Mercedes-Benz Group Chairman Ola Kallenius speaks during a press conference on Yeongjong Island in Incheon, Nov. 14, 2025. Yonhap

Mercedes-Benz is signaling an aggressive push to reclaim its fading leadership in Korea's imported electric vehicle (EV) market by holding a world premiere for the all-electric C-Class sedan in Seoul.

The German luxury carmaker recently unveiled the plan to hold the high-profile event on April 20 by inviting a group of some 80 overseas journalists to Korea’s capital city.

Given that this is the first time that the carmaker has hosted a world premiere event in the country, it is clear that Korea’s strategic importance to the carmaker is growing rapidly, particularly its EV business.

The upcoming launch of the all-electric C-Class sedan comes at a critical juncture for Mercedes-Benz Korea, as it is losing its once top-selling market spot to emerging rivals. The success of the new model will be crucial for the carmaker to regain its stature and jump back into position as the nation’s top-selling imported carmaker.

According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), Tesla ranked first in imported car sales in Korea between January and March of this year, selling 20,964 cars here. BMW Korea followed with 19,368 units, and Mercedes-Benz Korea came in third with sales of 15,862 vehicles during the same period.

Mercedes-Benz Korea maintained its leadership here in terms of auto sales for eight consecutive years beginning in 2015, but lost the top spot to BMW Korea in 2023.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan / Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea

Industry officials said Mercedes-Benz Korea’s decision to stage the C-Class world premiere in Seoul is seen as a strong indication of the carmaker’s determination to engineer a major turnaround in the country's competitive EV market.

“As demand for EVs accelerates and competition among carmakers intensifies, the upcoming world premiere of the all-electric C-Class is interpreted as the carmaker's symbolic move to boost its EV presence here," an auto industry official said.

The vehicle is expected to play a pivotal role in reshaping the brand’s identity as a premium EV maker, according to the official. However, given the toughening EV competition here — driven mainly by Tesla’s price-competitive models and ultra-cheap Chinese vehicles — it remains to be seen whether the new model from Mercedes-Benz will serve as a major profit booster for the carmaker.

This year marks a major turning point for Mercedes-Benz Korea’s EV strategy, as the carmaker plans a series of new strategic EV lineups here such as all-electric CLA, GLC and GLB by the end of 2026.

The exact timeline for sales of the all-electric C-Class here remains unconfirmed for the time being.