When the Mercedes C-Class and BMW i3 EVs were unveiled earlier this year, it felt a little like Stuttgart had been beaten to the electric executive punch – and not just because the 3 Series came first.

 

The i3 has the C-Class Electric licked when it came to the key statistics: official range, charging speeds and pricing (£53k versus £58k).

 

BMW's saloon rides on the same Gen6 architecture that has won its iX3 SUV sibling such widespread dynamic acclaim. The C-Class’s MLA platform has already proven softer and slightly less exciting – but still excellent in its own right – in the technically identical GLC Electric.