Which of these high-efficiency, long-range, luxury saloons is worth your money in 2026? We compared the numbers on all three. 

While the SUV is often the default family vehicle these days, we’re glad to see that they’re not the sole beneficiaries of the latest advances in EV technology. The latest electric saloons have also been blessed by improved battery technology, better interior tech, and higher all-round efficiency. That last one should apply doubly to saloons due to their vastly improved aerodynamics when compared to their SUV counterparts.

The best examples of these generational leaps come in the form of BMW’s i3, Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class and Tesla’s Model 3. The Model 3, even in its latest guise, has been around for almost three years and yet still posts some strong numbers. Will the Tesla be able to defend its position? 

We’ll know for sure which is best when we get the chance to drive all three back-to-back (soon, we promise!) But in the meantime, let’s see how they compare on paper. Is it gadgets and gizmos you want most? Perhaps it’s charging networks, or all-out range. Whatever it may be, read on to find out which of these three electric executive saloons best serves your purposes.

BMW i3 

Price: £45,000 to £58,000 (est)

Max WLTP range: 559 miles

Battery size (usable): 108.7kWh

Max charging rate: 400kW

0-62mph: <4.9 seconds

Boot capacity: 520 / 58 litre frunk

Imagine if BMW took the reigning Electrifying.com car of the year and shrunk it down into a sleeker, easier to park, and even more efficient package. Well that’s exactly what they did with the upcoming i3. The same chunky 108.7 kWh battery (that’s the largest of the three), the same 400kW max charging speed (that’s the fastest of the three) but in a smaller and lighter package.

That means that the new i3 sports a theoretical maximum efficiency rating of 5.14 miles/kWh and a whopping 559 miles of WLTP range are extracted from that battery, making it far and away the longest range car on this list  - and, indeed, of its class. It's beaten only by the much pricier Mercedes-Benz EQS, which is the longest range EV in Europe right now. 

Which EVs have the longest range right now?

As a result of the i3’s truly marathonic range, its 400kW charging speed probably won’t need to be used all that frequently. However, it’s still very nice to have, even if 400kW charging stations are still rare in the UK. Should you encounter one, the i3 will charge from 10-80% in a mere 20 minutes, or will add some 200 miles of range in just 10 minutes. Compared to the Model 3, it’s like putting Usain Bolt up against a particularly enthusiastic park runner.

Interior-wise, the i3 sits somewhere in-between the C-Class and the Model 3. There’s an abundance of gizmos and ambient lighting, much like the Mercedes, but it’s in a much more minimalistic package, like the Tesla. Build quality, inside and out, is on a par with the Mercedes and eclipses the Tesla. Material choices are strong and everything feels well put-together. The extra symmetrical steering wheel with its squared-off sides may be a little off-putting to some. When I experienced it in the iX3, I found it a little difficult to orientate but others seem to enjoy it. Ginny’s a big fan.

We don’t yet have performance figures for the upcoming i3 but if the iX3, which it shares a platform with, is anything to go by, we expect the lighter i3 to hit 62mph in less than 4.9 seconds. We do know that at launch, the i3 will first be offered exclusively in its i3 50 xDrive configuration though. That gets it 469hp and 645Nm of torque. Can you imagine the kind of range figures we could expect from a big battery, rear-wheel drive version?!

Unfortunately, we don’t have confirmed pricing figures for the i3 either, but we expect it to fall in the £45,000 - £58,000 range. That makes it more expensive than all but the very top of the Model 3 range but with the raw specs and quality on offer, that could just make sense.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric

Price: £45,000 to £55,000 (est)

Max WLTP range: 497 miles

Battery size (usable): 94.5kWh

Max charging rate: 330kW

0-62mph: 4.1 seconds

Boot capacity: 470 / 101 litres

Meet the thorn in the i3’s side, the new, electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It’s safe to say that we’ve been eager to talk about it and rightfully so. It’s got all the bells and whistles, some of the best interior materials in the game, and is bound to push luxury to the absolute max. Does that luxury come at the cost of some of the more fundamental specs though? Let’s find out.

Straight off the bat, I have to inform you that the new C-Class doesn’t quite measure up to the i3 on range. Its 497-mile WLTP rated maximum doesn’t even come close to the i3’s whopping appetite for distance but it’s still very impressive. Thankfully, it’s got the range to beat the somewhat ageing Tesla but still, we’d have hoped for a little bit more from the brand with the longest range European EV on the market!

Despite its shorter range, the C-Class’ smaller 94.5kWh battery means that it actually beats the BMW i3 on efficiency, scoring a theoretical maximum of 5.26 miles/kWh. Impressive, considering the amount of tech and lighting Mercedes has managed to pack into this compact saloon.

Charging also falls a little bit short of the competition. While BMW has gone for a more future-proof strategy, Mercedes has stuck with an 800V architecture but has a comparably slow 330kW rating. Nonetheless, the new C-Class will still add some 200 miles of range in around 15 minutes, in ideal conditions.

Things take a step up once you get to the interior of the C-Class. If you thought the i3 was tech-packed, the electric C-Class steps things up even further. The latest iteration of Mercedes’ Hyperscreen has ditched the 3 individual displays approach of EQS past and instead has opted for one singular uninterrupted 39.1-inch screen that spans the entire dashboard. Thankfully, they’ve left us the physical controls to change the direction of the airflow from the vents and stalks on the steering column. Looking at you, Model 3.

As with the i3 before it, the build quality is very solid, and material choices are just as strong as ever with leather and wood as far as the eye can see.

The C-Class likely beats the i3 on performance too, for now. The hot, electric AMG and M versions of the C-Class and i3 are yet to come but in the meantime, 498hp pushes the C400 4Matic from 0-62mph in just 4.1 seconds.

We expect pricing to come in about on par with the i3. That’s roughly £55,000 for this C400 4Matic, with less punchy and longer range models coming down to around the £45,000 mark when they roll around in early 2027.

Tesla Model 3

Price: £37,990 to £59,990

Max WLTP range: 466 miles

Battery size (usable): 55 - 75kWh

Max charging rate: 250kW

0-62mph: 2.9 seconds

Boot capacity: 594 / 88 litres

Last up, it’s the ever popular Tesla Model 3. It’s served as the benchmark for the compact electric saloon since it first launched all the way back in 2017 (that’s nine years ago for anyone who's counting). Since then, things have moved on quite a bit but Tesla has been doing everything they can to keep the ageing model up to date. 

First things first, the range. It’s no surprise that the three-year old Tesla Model 3 'Highland' in its longest range configuration 'only' manages 466 miles of WLTP range. More than enough for the vast majority of people, but falling some ways short of the BMW i3. 

How the Model 3 fairs on charging depends on how you look at it. As raw numbers go, it’s the slowest of the bunch, topping out at just 250kW of fast charging capacity. However, when you stop to consider the strength in numbers, reliability and cost of the Tesla Supercharger network, things start to even out a little. Tesla claims there are more than 1,400 superchargers dotted around at more than 140 locations across the UK and Ireland. So the chances of you getting caught short, as it were, are very slim indeed.

Sitting in the Model 3, you’d be forgiven for being a little disappointed. Yes, standards of build quality have somewhat improved over the last few years, but minimalism has been taken to the brink of impracticality. You don’t even get a physical gear selector anymore. Instead, you can either rely on the car to decide which direction you’d like to move in when you get in (backwards, if you’re nosed into a bay, etc) or there’s a somewhat finicky sliding gear selector built into the driver’s side of the central screen. At least you get proper indicator stalks now, though! Yay for that!

Build quality nowadays is acceptable. Things feel better put-together than they did in early examples of all Tesla models but we can still see why some might hope for more premium materials.

Where the Model 3 still comfortably trounces the competition is in performance. Should you opt for the top trim Performance model with its “Plaid” badge, you can expect to shoot from 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds. That's as fast - or faster - than many modern supercars.

Pricing is another strong point for the Model 3. It starts at just £37,990 which puts it below what we expect from either the i3 or the C-Class. Makes the less plush interior a bit easier to accept, doesn't it? 

Which one should I buy, though?! 

Seeing as two of the three cars we’ve discussed aren’t actually for sale yet, you’ve got some time to make your mind up. But, if you want our best answer right now, here are our thoughts. The Model 3 is tried, tested and blisteringly fast. It’ll have the most convenient charging experience and the lowest bar for entry as price goes. So, if you want to play it safe, go Tesla. For all-out luxury, it’s the C-Class all the way. It may come at the expense of range and charging speed, but if you rarely take those longer trips, it’s the one for you. Finally, the i3. BMW’s latest offering has the longest range and the best charging specs of the bunch. It blends the tech of the Mercedes with the simplicity of the Tesla. With strong build quality to boot, we expect the i3 to be the best all-rounder on the list.

But, at the end of the day it’s really all down to personal preference and what you prioritise in your car, and we're yet to drive the new BMW i3 or Mercedes C-Class Electric! Even so - happy shopping. There isn't a bad car, here, that's for sure. Be sure to let us know which you’ll be going for and how you find it, by leaving a comment on one of the vids.