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.
But after a brief ride in the C-Class ahead of our first drive in the coming weeks, there’s plenty here to get excited about. After a faltering start with the competent but unremarkable EQE and then redemption with the CLA, currently our favourite saloon, it seems Mercedes has finally cracked the mainstream electric exec.
The first thing of note is that this feels a larger car than previous C-Classes. It's longer, wider and taller – the last of which owing to it being based on a skateboard platform, with the body effectively sitting as a hat atop the battery and chassis.
While the glass roof and black detailing around the rear end help to take away a bit of the visual heft, it’s a little slab-sided. And there’s still a hint of the EQE’s egginess about the front end, I reckon, despite the brand's push to make its EVs less amorphous.
Some of the details are questionable, too: the overwhelming number of three-pointed stars – particularly those lights – feel like peacocking and slightly too glitzy in an era where other brands are favouring a more restrained approach to exterior decoration.
Still, it’s identifiable as a C-Class and looks vastly more futuristic than the ubiquitous petrol or diesel-fired car.
Inside the electric C-Class
In a practical sense, there’s much to enjoy: a good amount of interior space; a wide and deep boot that still has a small saloon opening, despite the sloped roofline; and a compartment under the bonnet big enough for a carry-on suitcase or a couple of overnight bags.
Slide in and it’s easy to find a comfortable position in both rows, with nicely squishy bolsters and quality-feeling leather upholstery solidifying the C-Class’s long-distance credentials.
