2014 BMW i3 Vs. Mercedes B-Class: Car And Driver Tests Electric Cars From Germany

It's taken awhile, but electric cars are finally getting some serious attention from the mainstream automotive press.

Maybe it's increased consumer interest, or maybe the fact that there are now enough widely-available models to warrant comparisons, but electric cars are starting to show up more in the pages of enthusiast "buff books."

In a recent comparison, Car and Driver pitted the 2014 BMW i3 against the 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive.

Showing how far plug-ins have come in gaining credibility with the establishment automotive press, the focus wasn't the cars' electric drivetrains, but rather the wildly different approaches the two German carmakers took with their respective products.

ALSO SEE: 'Quietest, Slowest' Comparison Ever: 6 Electric Cars Tested By Car And Driver

"The B-Class is an electric Mercedes-Benz," the Car and Driver staff said, "BMW's i3 is a moon buggy."

The magazine praised the B-Class' upscale interior, and noted that the silent electric motor's instantaneous torque delivery fits nicely with the "Mercedes ideal" of smooth and quiet internal-combustion engines.