Range of electric cars and growing consumer adoption
In 2022, electric car sales exceeded 10 million last year. To put this in perspective, this means electric car sales were up 55% relative to 2021.
However, while electric car sales continue to break records, many still have concerns about the range of electric cars.
According to our Mobility Monitor report, around 40 percent of all potential EV drivers are worried they won’t be able to charge their car when they need to and are afraid to run out of power on the road.
While this fear is understandable, it is also unnecessary.
How far can electric cars go?
According to data that was available in December of 2022, the average electric vehicle has a range of 348 km (216 miles).
Of course, there is not a single correct answer when talking about the electric car range. How far an EV can go depends—quite understandably—on which vehicle you’re driving, the battery’s state of charge, as well as your driving behavior, and even weather conditions.
Disclaimers aside though, the median range of electric vehicles has increased significantly in the past years.
Did you know that In 2011, there were only three different models of all-electric vehicles on the market? According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, their range spanned from approximately 100 km to 150 km max (63 to 94 miles) on a full charge.
Today, as described above, that number is much higher and sits around 348 km (216 miles).
Longest range EV
So, which EV has the longest range?
At present, Lucid Air Dream (Range Edition) takes the crown. Based on moderate driving style and climate conditions, the real-life range is estimated to be 685 km (425 miles).
As stated before –and as we’ll explain in more detail a little later in this article– the real-life electric car range is dependent on a few factors.
For example:
The Lucid Air Dream Range edition claims to have a minimum range of 505 km (313 miles) when driving on the highway in cold weather conditions, and a maximum range of a whopping 960 km (596 miles) when driving in the city in mild weather conditions.
Top-5 EVs with the longest range
Ok so, the Lucid Air Dream has the number one spot, but what about others?
Here’s a quick overview of the top 5 electric car models that currently have the longest range available.
Shortest range EV
On the other side of the spectrum, you might be wondering, which electric car has the shortest range?
As the rule of thumb goes, the larger the vehicle, the bigger the battery can be. The reverse is also true. With less space for a battery, small city cars are designed to be agile, cheap to run, and easy to park—but not to travel long distances.
The smallest EV we could find when writing this article was the Smart EQ fortwo Cabrio, a two-seater city car (with convertible options) with a range of 95 km (59 miles) on a single charge. However, a full charge would take only 55 minutes at a charging speed of 22 kW—much less than charging an EV that holds a larger battery.
The growing range of EVs
Back in the humble beginnings of EVs, the best-selling electric car, the Nissan LEAF, had a maximum range of about 160 km (100 miles). Fast-forward to today, and we see that the 2023 Nissan Leaf has a range of up to 341 km (212 miles).
The new Hyundai Kona, Volkswagen ID.4, and Kia EV6 (all with a fairly affordable price tag) can reach 400-500 km (249- 310 miles) on a single charge too.
The main reason?
Batteries have become more powerful and less expensive.
Batteries are the most expensive component when making an EV. Their price has fallen significantly over the past decade and because of it, EVs are expected to reach cost parity with internal combustion cars by 2026.
What affects the driving range for EVs?
We already mentioned that the main factor dictating the range of your electric car is the size of its battery.
However, battery size isn’t the only thing that affects an EV’s range.
The quicker you drive, how much you need to accelerate, whether you turn on your air conditioning or the heater, as well as how warm it is outside, all affect how far you can go on a single charge.
Let's break it down.
Driving speed
The faster you drive or the more aggressively you accelerate, the quicker the battery of the EV drains.
Temperature
The colder it is outside, the faster the battery drains.
Electrical-powered features
When you use the heating, cooling, or other electrical-powered features, this affects the distance an EV can drive on a single tank.
To bring these factors to life, Renault has a handy tool for its ZOE e-Tech Electric where you can input driving conditions and see the battery capacity change.
Best EV range
So, while an EV range of more than 600 km (372 miles) is possible, it doesn't necessarily mean it’s the best range for you.
Simply put, a good range meets the needs of the driver.
The range is a key EV metric when choosing an EV and is one that many potential EV drivers consider carefully before investing.
Practically speaking, however, the range isn’t the holy grail that many consider it to be.
Range of electric cars should match your driving behavior
The vast majority of people don’t get close to driving their vehicle flat in a single day; regardless of whether it’s an EV or a gasoline car. For instance, in the US, the average American drives 21,687 km (13,4760 miles) per year or roughly 59.5 km (37 miles) a day.
In Europe, this average differs per country but is, on average, less than half of what they drive in the US; individuals in Germany drive an average of approximately 19 km (11 miles) per day and in Greece, this number can be as low as 5.6 km (3.4 miles) per day.
The bottom line is that most of our daily commutes won’t even come close to reaching an EV's maximum range.
What’s more, since “topping up” an EV works differently than putting gas in an ICE vehicle—as charging can be done while you sleep or while you’re at work—the fear of running out of juice isn’t as prominent as you may think at first.
Vehicle manufacturers have also put a lot of effort into quelling drivers' fears of range anxiety with several innovative features; including the Driving to Empty (DTE) metric which is visible on a vehicle’s dashboard.
What is DTE?
DTE stands for Driving to Empty and is a moving extrapolated average of how far you can drive with the remaining charge of an EV’s battery. Simply put, it’s how far you can go until your battery is depleted.
As the range shown is an average based on current factors, it’s always a guesstimate to predict future performance. This number is based on how long you have already driven on a single charge, the current state of charge, and driving conditions and is translated into a distance number.
For drivers, this knowledge is critical as there is no leeway with EVs. As soon as that number reaches zero, it’s game over and the vehicle must be towed to a charging point. Unlike gasoline cars, roadside assistance can't bring a small volume of fuel, so the vehicle must be physically transported to a charging station—an event that’s not cheap, both in terms of time and money nor is it good for your vehicle’s battery.
To avoid this scenario, many electric vehicles make it difficult to run out of charge. For example, some premium vehicles will calculate your remaining range and warn you exactly when you're about to leave the vicinity of a charging station. Others, such as the Nissan Leaf, go into Turtle Mode before completely turning off, where it enters “crawling” mode at 50 km/h (30mph) for just over a kilometer, giving the driver enough time to reach a safe space to call for help.
However, as DTE is based on current conditions, it shouldn’t be taken as gospel. A hundred kilometers will differ if you change your driving style or turn your heater and headlights on. If you’re cruising towards empty and the DTE indicates you can just make it, it’s best to try and maintain an energy-efficient driving style.
Do electric cars lose range over time?
Yes, but not as much as you may think or as fast as you may fear. Under current estimates, most EV batteries will last between 15-20 years or 100,000 to 200,000 miles before they need to be replaced, it is more likely that the battery will outlast the car.
And contrary to popular belief, EV batteries don’t simply stop working. Instead, they slowly degrade over time.
A battery gradually loses capacity with many reporting a loss of only a few percent over several years. When looking at the average decline across all vehicles, that loss averages out at 2.3 percent per year.
To demonstrate, if you purchase an EV today with a 350 km (217 miles) range, after five years the battery will have only lost about 40 km (24 miles) of accessible range.
To put consumers' reservations to rest, many manufacturers give a warranty on their battery which is usually between eight and ten years which exceeds the usual warranty for combustion engines which is only 5 years.
Find out more about EV charging
Driving an electric vehicle is –in many ways– a lot different from driving a car that runs on gas. The concept of charging, especially, is new to many people. Take a look at our extensive guide and discover all there is to know about EV charging. Learn what charging a vehicle costs, how much time it takes, the most commonly used –and preferred– charging locations, the difference between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 charging, battery life, and understanding the different cables, plugs, and connector types.
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There are still some common misconceptions about electric cars that can put people off making the switch over to clean, green transport.
When it comes to the difference between charging a car vs fuelling a car with fossil-fuels, it can seem like there’s a lot to get your head around. Some drivers put off making the switch because they’re worried about whether they’d have enough range to get them from A to B, especially on long journeys.
So, how much range does a driver really need? And what can the makes and models on the market offer? Let’s take a look at EV ranges to find out.
What is electric vehicle range?
Electric vehicle range is simply the number of miles an electric vehicle can travel on a single charge. Car manufacturers used to provide the range as the maximum distance possible in perfect driving conditions, but it’s now more common to see ‘real’ ranges that better reflect real-world driving.
Vehicle range is influenced by many different factors, like the size and age of the battery, the car’s weight and design, driving style and conditions, and other efficiency factors which would also affect a petrol or diesel car, like tyre pressure, suspension, and weather conditions.
How far can an electric car go?
The most cutting-edge, newer models on the market can go up to a 400–500-mile range on a single charge. For early 2009-2010 electric car models, reaching a range of around 100 miles was considered pretty good, but nowadays modern electric vehicles reach ranges in the region of 200-300 miles.
So what’s the average range of an electric car?
The average range of an EV is estimated to be 211 miles and most cars on the market have a range of anywhere between 100-300 miles.
Anything with 200+ miles is considered a good range but, depending on your needs, a range of around 100 miles might be more than enough. For reference, a 100 miles would be driving all the way from London to Bath - a lot longer than your average commute. And on average, most people only drive 20 miles per day, so 100 miles is plenty of range to get you around in daily life.
Which electric car has the longest range?
Internationally, the current range leader on the automotive market is the Lucid Air Dream Edition R. It boasts an impressive 520-mile range, but does come with the luxury price tag to match and isn't yet available in the UK.
There are plenty of other long-range and more affordable models on the market. Take the Audi e-tron GT showcasing a 260-mile range, the 2020 Car of the Year, and the Tesla Model 3 offering an impressive range of 285 miles.
To take a look at the different ranges EVs can offer, simply check out the cars we have available and sort your results by high to low range. Our personal car lease comes as a package including your fully maintained electric car with all servicing and repairs included, a smart home charger and smart EV tariff with the first 4,000 miles included.
What factors affect driving range?
Let’s crunch some numbers and see what affects driving range. Just like with petrol and diesel cars, there are many factors that can affect the efficiency of EVs. Things like tyre pressure, suspension settings and the way you use air-con and electric windows can help you improve your range.
A few things to consider though, especially with EVs are:
1. Battery
The size and age of your car battery are really important for your range. The more kilowatts (kW) your battery holds, the further your car will travel in a single charge.
You might notice some EV models are available in different battery sizes. The bigger the battery, the more expensive the car is likely to be, but the further it will travel on a single charge.
We know that all batteries lose some capacity over time. A typical lithium EV battery is expected to last around as long as 15-20 years. As your car battery degrades over time, you’ll lose some range, but it’s not likely to be a significant amount. Although with technological advances, battery life is continuing to improve all the time.
2. Electric vehicle weight and design
Did you know that vehicle size, weight and design all have an impact on a car’s range potential? A heavier car will use more kWh per mile than a lighter car, so bigger cars that use heavier materials, or are loaded with passengers and bags, won’t travel as far.
Design also determines how much range you’ll get out of your charge. Cars designed with better aerodynamics and lower air resistance will use significantly lower energy than those that are less aerodynamically designed.
3. Driving style
Remember, the road is not a race track! The more economically you drive the more you’ll get out of your charge. This means if you accelerate fast and brake hard, you’ll use more energy. Motorway driving at high speeds will also sap your kWs. Similarly to any petrol-powered car, smooth and steady will get you further. You’ll achieve maximum range if you drive at a steady and constant rate, and make the rate at which you change speeds as smooth as possible.
Keep in mind that temperature can play a key role too. In winter, cold temperatures can make your battery less efficient because it needs to use more energy to get it going and keep it moving. Using heaters and AC will also use up kWs and reduce your range. Heating or cooling a car is much more energy intensive than keeping it at a steady temperature. You’ll get further distances out of a single charge in warm summer weather, as long as you don’t have the air con on all the time. Heating or cooling your car while it’s still plugged in to charge is the best option.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is constantly getting better and the number of rapid charging points is increasing all the time. With even the lowest range cars offering around 100 miles, there is ample range for the average driver on their daily commute.
Don’t let range anxiety put you off enjoying the benefits of a cleaner, greener, more sustainable car — make the switch to electric today. With an average 200-plus mile range, today’s modern electric vehicles provide more than enough range for most drivers. Take a look at the electric cars coming to Octopus EV in 2023 for some EV inspiration.