- Ranking the longest range electric car 2022
- Includes models from Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Audi
- All can travel at least 230 miles of range
Electric power is great and all, but like with petrol and diesel fuel, it has a nasty tendency to run out just when we need it most. (If you want to know about the different types of electric vehicles, why not take a look at our guide on EV types?)
Adding to that problem is the fact that electric charging points aren't always the easiest things to locate, and charging your battery can take much longer than simply filling up at a gas station.
Bottom line is: if you want to be travelling non-stop across the country for long distances, you're going to need an electric car that has a long range (the maximum number of miles it can go on a single charge).
Luckily, advances in battery technology mean that EV's range is always on the up, thereby making 'range anxiety' truly a thing of the past.
Almost . . .
What's the Typical Electric Car Range?
Fun fact:
- a gas-powered car is capable of covering an average distance of 300 miles on a full tank.
Another fun fact:
- on a full charge, most electric cars are capable of covering an average distance of 194 miles, which isn't really a lot shorter when you think about it. Plus they're much cheaper to run, and that's a recipe for electrical success right there . . .
Yep, there's worse things you can do, than get an electric car. Especially in a modern motoring world that looks to be constantly making the shift towards safer and greener electric and hybrid technology.
And believe it or not, from the year 2030 the UK government is banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in an attempt to reduce the nation's overall net contribution towards climate change. As a result, most electric cars are now widely available across the length and breadth of the country.
Of course, at the end of the day, an average is just an average, so there's plenty of electric cars out there that will last either a lot longer or a lot shorter than the average range of 194 miles.
With that in mind, let's take a look at that all-important question: what are the longest range electric cars?
Vamos!
15. Nissan Leaf - up to 239 miles
- Cost to buy: from £29,790. £7000 deposit + £220.00 per month. Total Cost £17,500
- Or lease with LeaseLoco from £300.00 per month (inc. VAT) with zero deposit. Total cost £14,400
The Nissan Leaf might not be the first vehicle that springs to mind when it comes to electric cars, but it has been around for 12 years - in other words, long before the current batch of crossovers and saloons started swamping the market.
Indeed, the Nissan Leaf has been something of a pioneer in the electric car game whilst also looking like a 'normal' family car that anyone could be happy to just pick up and drive. It's both practical and affordable. With a maximum range of 239 miles, the leaf just makes the cut for this list.
14. Chevrolet Bolt EV - up to 247 miles
- Cost to buy: From $32,000 (US)
Updated from 2017, the latest 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV shares roughly the same specs, but with a newer, more inviting interior design. It comes with a 10.2" touchscreen infotainment system that has all the standard features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There's also a nifty one-pedal driving mode that's activated by pressing a button one-pedal-driving mode—activated via a button on the center console—that increases regenerative braking to the point where you rarely need to use the brakes to slow down.
13. Audi RS e-tron GT - up to 282 miles
- Cost to buy: From £114,150. £20,000 deposit + £1313.00 per month. Total Cost £83,000.
- Or lease with LeaseLoco from £1,487.44 per month (inc. VAT) with £1,700 upfront. Total Cost £71,500
This five-seater sedan comes with a low centre of gravity and a stunning interior. a sedan with a low-slung silhouette and a stunning interior. Particularly impressive is its fast acceleration and how smooth it feels on the road.
Boot space is what lets it down, as the loading capacity of the Audi e-tron GT is much less than that of, for example, the Tesla Model S or the Mercedes-Benz EQS electric cars. That being said, the Audi e-tron GT makes up for it with its stellar appearance and quality performance, like practically any Audi. Boasting a 298 mile range
12. Skoda Enyaq iV 80 - up to 329 miles
- Cost to buy: From £40,970. £5,000 deposit + £526.00 per month. Total Cost £30,240.
- Or lease with LeaseLoco from £587.00 per month (inc. VAT) with £872 upfront. Total Cost £29,000.
Skoda's first all-electric car, the Skoda Enyaq iV, operates on a dual-motor set-up and runs on four-wheel drive. Outer appearances aside, it's not small by any means and comes with a large boot space for all of your everyday needs.
When it comes to powertrains, you've got two choices: the Enyaq iV 60 with a 58kWh battery pack delivering a range of 256 miles; and the Enyaq iV 80 with a larger 77kWh battery that delivers a much longer range, being able to rack up a very healthy 331 miles on a single charge.
11. Polestar 2 Long Range - up to 335 miles
- Cost to buy: From £41,900. £5,000 deposit + £461.52 per month. Total Cost £27,128.
- Or lease with LeaseLoco from £513.71 per month (inc. VAT) with £612.71 upfront. Total Cost £25,270.
Essentially the first proper electric car from what is Volvo's spin-off brand, the Polestar 2 is a major rival of the Tesla Model 3.
When it comes to the Polestar 2, you have three options: either a standard or long range single motor or a long range twin motor setup, with the 78kWh battery option being the top of the bunch in delivering the highest range of 335 miles, whilst the standard 64kWh option notches it down a bit by delivering a reduced maximum range of 273 miles. Both are capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 in 7.4 seconds. Equip the long range dual motor with the performance package and you can get those 0 to 60 times down to 4.2 seconds.
10. Volkswagen ID.3 - up to 336 miles
- Cost to buy: From £38,815. £7,167.11 deposit + £390.15 per month. Total Cost £25,894.
- Or lease with LeaseLoco from £357.94 per month (inc. VAT) with no deposit. Total Cost £17,187.
Having won Best Family Electric Car at the carwow 2021 Car of the Year awards, the VW ID.3 is rightly regarded as the Volkswagen of the modern era. It's available in three different battery sizes, each offering fast charging rates and outstanding range on a single charge.
Volkswagen designed the VW ID.3 with a view to competing with more established models like the Renault Zoe, the Nissan Leaf and the Hyundai Kona Electric, and compete it certainly does.
9. Tesla Model X - up to 360 miles
- Cost to buy: From £81,990
The third Tesla on the list (they make great electric cars), the Tesla Model X further adds to the growing list of electric SUVs, coming with plenty of the expected Tesla technology to keep both driver and passenger(s) occupied.
The most distinctive feature of the Tesla Model X electric SUV is its upwards-opening rear Falcon doors, giving you easy access to the back rows of seats capable of seating up to 7 people. They look futuristic almost to the point of being alien-like, and certainly bring the Model X up in terms of practicality.
Better yet, it's the fastest accelerating SUV ever - managing to go from 0 to 62mph in just 2.5 seconds, despite a 2.5-tonne weight. That's assuming you're driving the standard dual-motor variant. It's worth nothing that the Tesla Model X Plaid version drops the range ever so slightly to 340 miles of range.
8. Tesla Model 3 Long Range - up to 360 miles
- Cost to buy: From £45,990
- Or lease with LeaseLoco from £567.02 per month (inc. VAT)
Touted as Tesla's affordable electric car, the dual-motor AWD Tesla Model 3 in its long range version is not only spacious but also a top performer in general, made to rival the likes of the Audi A4, the BMW 3 Series, and the Mercedes C-Class - all best-sellers in their own right.
The Tesla Model 3 certainly lives up to that competition, being the second best-selling car of 2021, with only the Vauxhall Corsa ahead of it in the rankings. It really tells you how popular electric cars have become, and despite some minor reservations surrounding the steering and build quality, the Tesla Model 3 is certainly one great electric car. A 0 to 62mph time of 4.2 seconds is quick enough to shame some serious sports cars, and it also handles brilliantly for what is essentially a practical family saloon.
7. BMW i4 - up to 367 miles
- Cost to buy: From £51,905
- Cost to lease: From £569.52 per month (inc. VAT)
You can rest assured that none of the German manufacturer's traditional efficiency is lost with its electric car models, and that's no different with the BMW i4. Throw in the spacy interior and you've got yourself a real winner.
Two versions of the BMW i4 were released: the more basic eDrive 40, and the more performance-based i4 M50 model. Due to its large 84kWh battery, the eDrive 40 version can run for 367 miles on a single charge, whilst the i4 M50 sacrifices that kind of excellent range for extra power and performance.
6. Ford Mustang Mach-E - up to 379 miles
- Cost to buy: From £42,530
- Cost to lease: From 586.64 per month (inc. VAT)
Being Ford's first electric car, the Ford Mustang Mach-E doesn't quite muster up the same level of V8 power as its more traditional Mustang counterparts. In spite of that, it's capable of going from 0 to 62 in just 3.7 seconds, packing in a healthy dose of Mustang's famed drag-strip potential into the bargain. And when fitted with rear-wheel-drive and the 88kWh battery, the Mustang Mach-E can last all the way up to 379 miles from a single charge.
It comes with all the standard kit, and for those so inclined, the Mach-E does give you the ability to simulate a fake V8 engine sound in the cabin by selecting the 'Untamed' driving mode out of the three available options.
It's electrifying!
5. BMW iX - up to 380 miles
- Cost to buy: From £93,905
- Cost to lease: From £790.00 per month (inc. VAT)
The BMX iX has gotten some stick for its exterior and outlandish front grille. Okay, if we're being honest, a lot of stick. Then there's the fact that it's an SUV, which automatically rules out a lot of drives who want something more contained.
Yet this bulky electric car definitely wins points back for its comfy, refined interior, and beneath the outer skin is a powerful drivetrain that promises 380 miles from a single charge, at least with the xDrive50 version. That's thanks to two electric motors and a 105.2kWh battery pack – achieving a combined 516bhp altogether.
4. Mercedes-Benz EQE - up to 394 miles
- Cost to buy: From £76,000
- Cost to lease: From £1,037 per month (inc. VAT)
The Mercedes-Benz EQE electric saloon may resemble its Mercedes-Benz EQS counterpart, but it's smaller and less expensive than that model.
It packs a punch in the comfort and refinement department, but its limited practicality means it is left trailing behind Tesla models and the conventionally-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class. For one thing, you don't get the same 'kick' on the accelerator as you do with the Tesla Model S. By contrast, the Mercedes EQE is much more relaxed.
It's due to be on sale later in the year.
3. Tesla Model S - up to 405 miles
- Cost to buy: From £73,990
405 miles on a single charge . . . Is that awesome range or what?!
Launched in 2012, the Tesla Model S has the capability of going from 0 to 60mph in just 3.1 seconds in supercar-like acceleration. Or, if you want even better speed and acceleration, the Model S Plaid version sacrifices 9 miles of that range for a greater top speed of 200+mph and the ability to accelerate to 62mph in less than two seconds - a fact which makes it the fastest-accelerating car ever produced. Those performance figures make the plaid model one of the best electric cars to this day.
Not that you'd want to sacrifice range for speed, of course, but it does give you an idea of the sort of family the Tesla Model S belongs to. You'll be driving non-stop from Edinburgh to London in no time! The inside isn't bad either, with typical quality-made Tesla technology, including but not limited to a jet fighter-style steering wheel and an Autopilot system. Practicality is still high on the list as well, with the Model S leaving room for 894 litres of luggage space and comfortable seating space for 4 adults.
2. Mercedes-Benz EQS - up to 453 miles
- Cost to buy: From £99,995
- Cost to lease: From £1,188.58 per month (inc. VAT)
Nothing like a bit of good old range anxiety, eh? Well, it's safe to say that's almost a thing of the past with the Mercedes EQS. Essentially an electric limo, the Mercedes EQS on its top-spec EQS 450+ model is capable of a more than impressive range of 485 miles – a figure that really sets the standard when it comes to modern electric cars. And it has the largest car battery on sale today at 107.8kWh.
The best part is that it's chock-full of high-tech kit, including a new ‘Hyperscreen’ infotainment display that practically takes up the whole dashboard. Typical Mercedes-Benz interior quality for you there.
Only downside is: the high asking price means that this maybe isn't one for the masses.
1. Lucid Air Dream Edition R - 520 miles
- Cost to buy: From £125,000
Modelled on the Mercedes S-Class, in its top spec this impressive electric saloon boasts a record-breaking range of 520 miles, meaning it certainly lives up to its 'dream' title and making it the best range electric car.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the R in the name stands for 'range', with less emphasis being put on the handling and performance by the manufacturers. That's opposed to the P version, with P standing for 'performance'. Equally unsurprisingly, that version delivers excellent performance but at the cost of poorer range, working out at 471 miles on a single charge. So if range is what you're after, plump for the R version!
Summing Up
- Longest-range electric car under £40,000: the Skoda Enyaq iV 80 - 331 miles
- Longest-range electric car from £40,000 to £60,000: the Ford Mustang Mach-E - 379 miles
Leasing With LeaseLoco
With the increasing move towards battery-powered cars and electric vehicles brought about by the UK Government's drive for an electric vehicle revolution, more choices in the electric car market are rapidly becoming available. There's a wide range of different battery capacities and sizes, price points and models now there for you to choose from.
Whether you are looking for an SUV, a sports car, or something else entirely, we have a number of deals available to suit your needs.
On that note, here are the top three lease deals that we have on offer on the electric car market right now, regardless of range:
Or for our full range, feel free to search through the entire list of electric car lease deals on our site.