Early electric cars couldn’t go all that far on a single cost, and the choices for topping up their batteries have been typically restricted to draping a three-pin plug out of a kitchen window. However due to a decade and a half of battery and motor growth, the longest-range electrical vehicles will now match their petrol counterparts for a way far they’ll go on a ‘tank’.
The primary Nissan Leaf, for instance, was an electrical automotive primarily purchased by early adopters. It had a 100-mile vary and took eight hours to cost from a house socket.
Certainly, among the cheapest electric cars presently on sale will simply ship double the vary of the unique Leaf, and with a lot faster charging choices in addition.
In truth, most entries have cracked the 400-mile barrier, and the longest-range electrical automotive on sale within the UK is a Mercedes EQS able to 442 miles.
The figures we quote listed below are from the official WLTP testing routine. In real-world use, it’s unlikely that any of those vehicles will hit these promised figures persistently – though you would possibly get shut in case you’re feather-footed and a eager hypermiler.
Let’s minimize to the chase. Which vehicles provide the longest vary? Learn our high 10 record under to seek out out.
The longest-range electrical vehicles
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Vary: 481 miles
The jelly-bean styling of Mercedes’ EQ saloons has confirmed controversial, but it surely’s largely a case of operate over kind. The EQS’s drag coefficient of 0.20 makes it the slipperiest automotive presently in manufacturing, and that brings a big enhance to driving vary.
In entry-level guise (if a £100,000-plus tech-fest may be referred to as entry-level), badged EQS 450+ AMG Line Premium, it should formally do 481 miles between expenses.
That makes it the longest-legged electrical automotive presently offered within the UK. It may be charged at as much as 200kW, too, which means a 10-80% top-up can take as little as half an hour.
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Volkswagen ID 7
Vary: 436 miles
Successfully the electrical equal to the favored Passat, the ID 7 serves as a press release of intent for Volkswagen’s subsequent era of EVs.
It introduces a brand new, extra environment friendly ‘AP550’ rear motor, which brings a lift to effectivity.
With the larger Professional S battery, it should do 436 miles between expenses and cost at charges of as much as 200kW.
There’s additionally an property model referred to as the ID 7 Tourer that trades 9 miles of vary for higher practicality. It has a whopping 1714 litres of house with the rear seats folded down.
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Peugeot e-3008
Vary: 422 miles
Peugeot’s latest-generation 3008 has morphed into an SUV-coupé to raised differentiate it from the remainder of the French model’s line-up.
It’s the primary automotive primarily based on Peugeot guardian firm Stellantis’s new STLA Medium platform, which locations a excessive precedence on vitality effectivity.
Certainly, the e-3008 is able to yielding 4.5mpkWh, which implies that vehicles with the 98kWh battery pack can do 422 miles on a single cost.
Charging charges are capped at 160kW, although, which isn’t greatest in school.
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Porsche Taycan
Vary: 422 miles
Porsche’s debut electrical automotive lately obtained a generational improve, with a brand new rear motor bringing additional energy, torque and effectivity. The battery was additionally reworked, adopting a special chemistry for decrease inside resistance.
The outcome was an enormous enchancment within the automotive’s vary: entry-level vehicles with the non-obligatory 105kWh Efficiency Battery Plus can cowl 422 miles between expenses.
Plus, Taycan mannequin line boss Kevin Giek has claimed that the brand new Taycan Turbo GT – a track-focused model with an enormous 1093bhp – may beat this, due to its lowered weight.
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Polestar 2
Vary: 406 miles
This fashionable electrical saloon lately made the novel swap from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive as a part of its mid-life facelift.
That, plus an additional 4kWh of battery capability, boosted the Lengthy Vary model to a whopping 406 miles between expenses. That’s greater than the rival Tesla Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary (390 miles) and BMW i4 eDrive40 (365 miles).
Peak charging charges have been additionally elevated from 150kW to 205kW, and in our testing it delivered a weighted common of 124kW.
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Tesla Mannequin S
Vary: 405 miles
The Tesla Mannequin S was one of many earliest mainstream electrical vehicles, however a mess of updates have stored it on tempo with the competitors.
The Twin Motor model dispatches the 0-60mph dash in a supercar-baiting 3.1sec but can nonetheless cowl 405 miles between expenses.
The tri-motor Plaid (pictured above) loses 15 miles however is up there with the fastest-accelerating vehicles ever constructed.
There’s a main catch, although: the Mannequin S is now constructed solely in left-hand drive, and within the UK you may solely purchase one from Tesla’s current (and restricted) stock in Southampton.
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Polestar 3
Vary: 403 miles
Peculiar, charming and really recommendable is how we’d sum up the Polestar 3.
It appears to be like and looks like nothing else in a category of electric SUVs that may appear somewhat samey, and it’s first rate worth for cash given the lengthy vary and large normal equipment record.
Greater than that, it strikes a really glad mix of consolation, tempo and modest dealing with zing. However regardless of the overly optimistic advertising spiel, this isn’t a sports car.
And that’s nice. As a result of the long-range single-motor mannequin ought to crack greater than 400 miles. And, finally, in an EV you care extra about vary than pure unadulterated driving thrills.
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Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
Vary: 401 miles
Take the EQS saloon, jack it up and infuse it with but extra luxurious touches and also you get the EQS SUV. It’s a hulking beast, such that it wants rear-wheel steering to finish manoeuvres in tight automotive parks.
It will get an enormous 118kWh battery, which naturally delivers a wide range of 404 miles. Charging charges match the 200kW of the EQS saloon.
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Tesla Mannequin 3
Vary: 390 miles
The Tesla Mannequin 3 is sensationally good worth. Even in its least expensive, lowliest kind, it blends aggressive saloon automotive practicality, placing efficiency and cheap dealing with dynamism in a way that makes it a nice all-rounder.
It’s not good. Many will discover the shortage of buttons inside baffling and it’s nonetheless no dynamic high-water mark, regardless of the near-super-saloon straight-line tempo of the dual-motor mannequin.
Neither is it essentially the most relaxed tourer, which is a disgrace as a result of the Lengthy Vary mannequin will crack 390 miles.
However the reality stays that the Mannequin 3 is an pleasant factor to drive every day, and one thing that may attraction to a lot of completely different individuals due to its stellar vary.
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BMW i7
Vary: 387 miles
BMW’s foil to the Mercedes EQS doesn’t fairly match it on vary, providing as much as 387 miles between expenses.
It is a powerful luxurious automotive nonetheless, with one of many best rides of any automotive presently on sale.
In contrast to the EQS, it’s additionally out there as a plug-in hybrid (referred to as the BMW 7 Series) with an electrical vary of as much as 49 miles.
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