Electric cars with longest range 2024
The rate of development in the electric car world is astonishing. Even just a few years ago, a list of the electric cars with the longest range would be dominated by Tesla, with few cars capable of hitting 200 miles, let alone 300-400 miles.
Time moves on, and today, there are just two Tesla models on our list, one of which is no longer available in right-hand drive. There are dozens of electric cars with the ability to take you hundreds of miles between charges, so you could find that you don't need to rely on the public charging network. A wallbox installed at home could be enough for you.
Granted, some of the cars on our list are at the pricier end of the market, but the likes of the Fisker Ocean and Tesla Model 3 prove that you don't need to spend a fortune to go the distance. Besides, if you spend most of your time in the city, a cheap electric car could be the answer.
For now, these are the 10 electric cars with the longest range.
Electric cars with longest range
|
Mercedes EQS 450+: 452 miles
The Mercedes EQS saloon is the current leader among electric cars with the longest range. It is capable of driving for 452 miles between charges, far ahead of the current crop of Tesla models. It achieves this chiefly thanks to a mammoth 107.8kWh battery, and while charging it using a regular socket will take a long time, Mercedes has given the car rapid-charge functionally, too. Result? Charging from zero to 80% can take as little as 31 minutes. The all-electric alternative to the benchmark S-Class luxury saloon, the futuristic EQS oozes class, and shows just how car manufacturers are pushing the boundaries when it comes to EVs.
Fisker Ocean: 440 miles
The Fisker Ocean is set to shake-up the electric car establishment when it arrives here in 2024. Although we haven't driven the Ocean, the facts and figures look compelling. In entry-level Sport guise, it'll cost an extremely competitive £35,970, while the longer-range Ultra will cost £49,880. For the full 440 miles of range, you'll need the top-spec Ocean Extreme riding on 20-inch wheels, but even the most affordable model can achieve a respectable 273 miles on a single charge. The Austrian-built SUV will go on sale in the UK in early 2024.
Polestar 2: 406 miles
Until the 516-mile range Lucid Air goes on sale in the UK, only three cars break the 400-mile mark. The Polestar 2 is the third, with the single motor long range variant promising up to 406 miles of range. Standard range and dual motor versions are also available, with each one offering superb build quality, a terrific driving experience and greater exclusivity than a Tesla. At £49,000, the single motor long range version is just £4000 more expensive than the standard range model – we think that's a fair price for the extra 67 miles of range.
BMW i7: 387 miles
The 7 Series is BMW’s flagship, its most luxurious and tech-filled car, so an all-electric version – named the i7 – is always going to have some impressive headline figures. This ultra-smooth, high-end saloon is well suited to the refined quiet of electric power, and BMW has equipped it with a big 105kWh battery that gives it a range of up to 387 miles between charges. Those charges will be quick, too, thanks to capacity to refill at up to 195kW. The range is all the more impressive when you realise that the BMW i7 is a seriously big car, at 5.4 metres in length, with four-wheel drive and some serious power from its 544PS electric motor.
.jpg?width=620)
BMW iX xDrive 50: 380 miles
BMW’s large and very distinctive iX is a notable new entry into the electric SUV sector. Its styling, particularly its huge front grille, has proven to be a talking point, but some have overlooked its extraordinary electric driving range as a result. Thanks to a 111.5kWh battery, BMW claims a total of 380 miles between charges for the xDrive 50 model. For such a large and heavy SUV, this is a really impressive result. The fact it has more than 520PS channelled to all four wheels means it’s no slouch against the clock, either. But the big battery does not come cheap, with xDrive 50 prices starting from around £103,000.
Mercedes EQE 300: 380 miles
We’ve already touched on the rangiest Mercedes in the form of the EQS above, but if your budget doesn’t quite stretch that far, then check out the smaller EQE saloon. Essentially a downsized version of the flagship, the Mercedes EQE costs from £69,000 and the 300 model will give you up to 380 miles from a single charge of its 89kWh battery. It’ll charge quickly with speeds of up to 170kW. Other versions of the Mercedes EQE are available, and some are a bit nippier than this relatively sedate model (0-62mph takes 7.3 seconds). But if you need to waft through long journeys with minimal stops, then the EQE 300 is where to start your search.
Polestar 3: 379 miles
The Polestar 3 is so new that, at the time of writing, we haven’t had a chance to drive it yet. But on paper at least, its performance and range are impressive. As its name suggests, the 3 is the third car from Polestar, which is an offshoot of Volvo, and the first two models have been extremely impressive. With the Polestar 3, we can expect an SUV with a huge 111kWh battery to give an official range of up to 379 miles per charge. And that’s with seriously impressive performance, with 489PS from its electric motor, and fast charging speeds of up to 250kW. That means a 10-80% charge in just 30 minutes – if you can find a suitable charger.
Tesla Model 3 Long Range: 374 miles
The popular Tesla Model 3 is a car that can do it all. In basic guise, it’s relatively affordable for such a technology-packed premium car. In Performance spec, it sets new class benchmarks for acceleration and pulling power. However, it’s the Model 3 Long Range that is likely to appeal most to British EV buyers, thanks to a fantastic range of 374 miles. This is achieved with a 75kWh battery, which is surprisingly modest given the car’s country-crossing ability. Consider this a measure of the efficiency Tesla has engineered into its cars. Charging via a public Tesla Supercharger is wonderfully straightforward and quick.
Lotus Eletre: 373 miles
Lotus calls the Eletre an 'all-electric hyper-SUV', which is another way of saying it's a very large electric SUV. There are many versions to choose from, with up 373 miles of range available if you select the right one and opt for the 20-inch alloy wheels as a no-cost option. Every Eletre features a 112kWh (109kWh usable) battery, 800-volt architecture and a 22kWh AC on-board charger, with prices ranging from £89,500 to around £120,000. The flagship Eletre R trades some range (304 miles) for a 165mph top speed and 0-62mph time of 2.95 seconds.
Tesla Model S: 373 miles
The Tesla Model S remains on sale in the UK, but if you want one, you'll have to put up with driving a left-hand drive car. That's because production of right-hand drive cars has stopped, with Tesla concentrating its UK efforts on the Model 3 and Model Y. There's only one version available: the 1020PS Plaid, which can sprint to 60mph in just 1.9 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 200mph. Not so long ago, a range of 373 miles would have put the Model S at the top of the list, but Tesla's dominance of the longest range charts appears to be over.
Do electric cars with the longest range take a long time to charge?
Physics dictates that the bigger the battery, the longer it takes to charge. If you’re plugging an electric car with a long range into a wall socket, it will take more than a day to charge. Luckily, more manufacturers now make these vehicles with fast-charge capabilities, cutting the top-up time from hours to minutes.
Do electric cars with the longest range have the biggest batteries?
It’s not a given that the electric car with the longest range will have the biggest battery. Saloon cars are more efficient than SUVs, for example, while smaller cars are lighter than larger ones. The efficiency of drive systems between car makers varies, too – which is why our list of electric cars with the longest range is so varied.
What is the cheapest electric car with the longest range?
The electric car with the longest range costs a six-figure sum: the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ is a genuine limousine and an alternative to the flagship S-Class. If you can make do with a 374-mile range instead of 452 miles, though, the Long Range version of the Tesla Model 3 is yours from a much more affordable £51,000.
Is it a good time to go all-electric?
