Electric vehicle range is the most critical metric when choosing a new or used electric car. Drivers who intend to say goodbye to internal combustion engines don’t want to spend more time at charging stations than actually driving.
If you're considering buying an electric car, check out our list of 10 cars with the best range.
Looking for a reliable car?
A well-maintained and undamaged car is the most reliable! Check any VIN code to make sure you're not buying a wreck:
10. Polestar 2
Range: up to 336 miles (540 km)
Price: from $45,900
Unique Scandinavian design features packed into a modern electric saloon – a recipe for success. You will particularly enjoy this car if you adore Scandinavian simplicity and ingenious practical solutions.
Despite the electric powertrain and latest gadgets, the Polestar 2 offers a trouble-free driving experience. There are no powertrain modes or starter buttons – you just climb in, push the brake pedal, and the car awakes. When you arrive at your destination, you have to select “Park” and exit the vehicle. That's it. Everything’s done for you.
The Polestar 2 is the direct rival of the Tesla Model 3. While it outshines Tesla in quality and design, Polestar can’t compete with Tesla in terms of range.
The Polestar 2 is available with two battery capacities: 64 kWh and 78 kWh. The lower capacity model ranges up to 275 miles (443 km) with a fully charged battery, while the higher capacity model delivers 336 miles (540 km).
This electric vehicle is also available with one and two motors, offering 221 hp and 402 hp, respectively.
9. Volkswagen ID.3
Range: up to 340 miles (550 km)
Price: from $46,484
The Volkswagen ID.3 marks the start of a new era in the Volkswagen brand history. After the Dieselgate scandal, one of the biggest automotive giants in Europe had to reinvent itself in the form of an electric vehicle.
The Volkswagen ID family range is built on an entirely new structure to create an electric compact hatchback for the masses. Volkswagen expects to produce 330,000 cars per year when the manufacturing facility reaches its full potential.
In terms of dimensions, the Volkswagen ID.3 is very similar to another Volkswagen bestseller – the Golf. However, despite similar infotainment systems, both models are very different. The ID.3 uses a rear-wheel-drive configuration. It also has the over-the-air update feature and an augmented reality head-up display.
The technology-driven ID.3 can be equipped with three different battery capacities: 45 kWh, 58 kWh, and 77 kWh. The 45 kWh and 58 kWh models have a range of up to 205 (330 km) and 260 miles (420 km) respectively, while the Pro S variant with a battery capacity of 77 kWh allows the German hatchback to cover up to 340 miles (550 km) on a full battery charge.
8. BMW i4
Range: up to 365 miles (587 km)
Price: from $55,400
BMW has spent a lot of time creating fully-fledged electric vehicles to make them competitive for a long time in the fast-changing market.
The i4 is built on the same assembly line as BMW cars with combustion engines. This strategy keeps costs down and improves delivery times. BMW has also increased its use of recycled materials in the i4, cutting emissions by 18%. That’s a very eco-friendly approach and an example for other manufacturers.
The BMW i4 range includes three versions: the eDrive 35, the eDrive40, and the M50. The latter has two electric motors with 586 lb-ft of torque and a top speed of 140 mph (225 kph)
The eDrive 40 version is made for energy efficiency. It has a battery capacity of 81 kWh and offers a range of up to 365 miles (587 km). The i4 can also accelerate to 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds, which is more than a respectable figure.
7. Tesla Model 3 Long Range
Range: up to 374 miles (601 km)
Price: from $55,940
For years, Tesla hasn't had even a single rival. However, today things are different and Tesla has to be more than just a trendy vehicle manufacturer.
Tesla's decision to introduce a cheaper and smaller Model 3 became a huge success. In 2021 alone, demand for the Tesla Model 3 in the US has reached 121,000 units. In terms of sales volume, a single Tesla model managed to surpass the global sales of Alfa Romeo.
The popularity of the Model 3 lies in the fact that it’s one of Tesla's cheapest and most efficient EVs. This is extremely important in countries with a poor charging infrastructure.
The Model 3 range is currently available in three versions: Standard Range, Long Range, and Performance. While the most agile version wears the Performance name, the longest range dual-motor version of the Model 3 is the most efficient, offering a range of up to 374 miles (601 km) and acceleration from 0-62 mph in just 4.2 seconds. Just make sure to choose 18-inch aerodynamic wheel, if you want to get the most out of the Model 3 battery pack.
6. Ford Mustang Mach-E
Range: up to 379 miles (609 km)
Price: from $55,800
The electric car that enraged Ford Mustang's most ardent fans. For decades, the Mustang symbol was used in loud and exciting muscle cars, so this sudden change wasn’t met with great enthusiasm.
Despite its legendary badge, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is the company's first fully-fledged electric car.
Ford offers a range of different versions of the Mustang Mach-E. The cheapest model has a 70 kWh battery and a range of up to 273 miles (440 km). While the top-of-the-range GT version has a four-wheel drive and a range of 310 miles (500 km).
If you want to make fewer trips to the charging station, the Mustang Mach-E Extended Range version is made for you. Although the Extended Range with a 98 kWh battery is available with a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the most energy-efficient version, with up to 379 miles (609 km) of range, has a rear-wheel-drive configuration.
5. BMW iX
Range: up to 380 miles (611 km)
Price: from $83,200
BMW's design solutions have recently received more attention than its cars. The Bavarians are undergoing a radical transformation and appear to have applied their most divisive solutions to the BMW iX electric SUV.
Behind the controversial design lies one of the most advanced electric SUVs on the market. Its brake regeneration system operates according to the selected driving mode and driving conditions. If you approach an intersection with a red light, your vehicle will automatically slow down.
The BMW iX is available in three versions: xDrive 40, xDrive 50, and M60. All versions have a dual-motor configuration but the xDrive 40 uses a 71 kWh battery, while the xDrive 50 impresses with a 105.2 kWh battery.
This gives drivers an outstanding range of up to 380 miles (611 km). However, it may be difficult to drive efficiently because the electric powertrain in the xDrive 50 develops 530 hp and sprints 0-62 mph in just 4.4 seconds.
4. Rivian R1T Max Pack
Range: More than 400 miles (643 km)
Price: from $84,575
Rivian has stepped into a very popular vehicle segment, where load capacity, practicality, and off-road ability are the most important features. It has had more than enough courage to combine these features into future-proof trucks without heavy locking differentials or fragile transfer cases.
While four motors, two integrated tow hooks, and the air-suspension system, which can increase ground clearance to a staggering 370 mm, help Rivian’s off-roading credentials, it also has numerous features for those spending more time in the city or on the highway.
The standard version of the Rivian R1T with a 105 kWh battery offers a range of up to 230 miles (370 km). If that's not enough, the Long Range version comes with a 135 kWh battery that extends the range to 300 miles (480 km).
The Max Pack version offers the highest possible range of more than 400 miles (643 km) on a single charge.
3. Tesla Model S Long Range
Range:up to 405 miles (651 km)
Price: from $101,440
Even though the Tesla Model S is one of the oldest electric vehicles on the market, it's also one of the best electric cars you can buy.
In more than 10 years of production, Tesla has perfected the Model S by improving the build and interior quality, enhancing drivability, range, and technological solutions. In fact, the Model S has established such a reputation in the industry that you just simply can’t recommend it enough.
The insanely fast Tesla Model S Plaid, which makes supercar drivers gasp in awe, is getting the most attention at the moment. With 1,020 hp and a 0-62 mph sprint time of just 2.1 seconds, this car definitely makes an impression. However, if you need a Tesla with the biggest possible range, there’s another model to consider.
The Model S Long-Range offers an exhilarating range of up to 405 miles (651 km). It has a 100 kWh of total battery capacity, an electric powertrain generating 670 hp, and the ability to accelerate from 0 to 62 miles in just 3.1 seconds.
2. Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
Range: up to 453 miles (729 km)
Price: from $102,310
Bespoke electric vehicles are expensive to create but they have more than a few benefits. Unique packaging helps improve interior space and reduces the need for complex systems. Also, it helps designers to use a bespoke electric platform like a blank canvas without sacrificing safety tech.
The Mercedes-Benz electric flagship is an unusual-looking machine. EQS curves are dictated by a fanatical attention to aerodynamics, so maybe this is the reason why it looks like an expensive but sleek soap bar.
To give EQS buyers more freedom, Mercedes-Benz allows choosing between a four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, a 90 kWh or 107.8 kWh battery pack, and offers an incredibly long list of optional extras, including a gigantic Hyperscreen display that measures a whopping 141 mm wide.
Like an S-Class, the EQS wants to meet different needs of drivers. The cheapest EQS 350 version offers a modest 292 hp and up to 396 miles (585 km) of range. While the dynamically superior EQS 53 AMG lets drivers make use of a 761 hp electric powertrain with a range of up to 364 miles. When it comes to range, the most efficient version, EQS 450+, which is a bit more powerful than EQS 350, outperforms most modern electric cars with a range of up to 453 miles (729 km).
1. Lucid Air Dream Edition Range
Range: up to 520 miles (836 km)
Price: $169,000
Lucid's entry into the electric vehicle market has been long and eagerly awaited. The US-based manufacturer spent roughly 10 years creating and improving the company's very first electric vehicle – the Lucid Air saloon.
Lucid Air has been designed to compete with the Tesla Model S. Competition between these two marques is so fierce that when Lucid Air presented the Dream Edition, Tesla answered with the Tesla Model S Plaid. Tesla’s maneuver may suggest that Lucid has offered one of the best electric cars in the market with cutting-edge technology.
The top-of-the-range model has two versions: Range and Performance. Each excels in different areas.
The Performance version has an electric powertrain of 1126 hp and the ability to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds. The Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance version can travel up to 451 miles (726 km) on a single charge. Very impressive figures.
While the Range version is a bit less powerful (946 hp) and slightly slower (2.7 seconds to 62 mph), it offers the longest range of up to 520 miles (836 km), which is by far the best figure in the automotive industry.
What should electric vehicle buyers keep in mind?
Electric vehicles with fewer moving parts are frequently praised for their simplicity, but that doesn’t mean EV buyers aren’t confronted with a maze of information that can be confusing at times.
Here are 3 things to consider when buying a new or used electric vehicle.
Battery capacity
Battery capacity is like a fuel tank for electric vehicles. The bigger the battery, the longer the electric vehicle range. However, buying a vehicle with the biggest battery pack is not necessarily a solution to the range anxiety problems.
When doing your research on an electric vehicle, take into account two important characteristics: the usable battery capacity and the total battery capacity.
The usable battery capacity is the amount of energy an electric car can use before you have to stop at a charging station.
Meanwhile, the total battery capacity refers to the amount of energy the battery pack is holding. Normally, the total battery capacity is higher than the usable capacity, because manufacturers want to keep a reserve amount of energy for emergencies and protect the battery from a complete discharge.
Some car manufacturers emphasize the total capacity of the battery rather than the usable capacity, which can mislead consumers.
Charging speed
Most EV drivers charge their cars at home. Depending on its capacity, a wall-mounted home charging station can recharge depleted batteries in 6 to 12 hours.
However, when you're on a long journey or just spend more time commuting, stopping at a charging station will take between 20 and 60 min, depending on the charging station and EV capabilities.
Most high-end electric vehicles have the ability to charge their batteries at 150-200 kW. This charging rate allows an EV to recharge its batteries from 10% to 80% in just 35 min. However, cheaper, more compact electric vehicles offer charge rates of up to 30-80 kW while using fast-charging stations. This means that you’ll have to spend more time at the charging station.
Energy efficiency
Fuel consumption can have a significant impact on buying a specific vehicle. If it consumes too much fuel, you’ll probably start looking for a more efficient car. The same principle applies to electric vehicles.
The electric vehicle's energy efficiency is measured by kWh/100 km or by MPGe, which is a miles per gallon-equivalent. By using these measures, you can compare energy efficiency in different EV models and choose the one that suits you best.
You should also consider how much energy an electric vehicle consumes in the city and on the highway. In ideal conditions, an efficient EV offers an average of 15-20 kWh/100 km or 100-105 mpge energy consumption.
Save money by buying a used one, but check its history!
The average price of a new electric vehicle is $50,000. If you have a low budget, look into the used vehicle market. There’s a large supply of second-hand electric cars that offer a decent range, comfort, and advanced gadgets.
While electric vehicles have fewer moving parts and, in general, are less complex than their counterparts with internal combustion engines, it doesn't mean you should abandon the guidebook on how to buy a used vehicle.
When you find an electric car you're interested in, take a close look at the bodywork, test all the gadgets, and take a test drive for at least 30 mins.
Finally, if you only want to choose from the best offers, use our faithful VIN Decoder. It will help determine the vehicle’s actual mileage and provide you with information about thefts, titles, and damages.
Check your VIN
Avoid costly problems by checking a vehicle's history. Get a report instantly!
Frequently Asked Questions
Article by
Aivaras Grigelevičius
Aivaras has been excited about cars since he was a little kid. Later, this passion for drivable objects (and everything that surrounds them) grew into work as an automotive journalist. Since then, Aivaras has written for several different magazines, covering anything with an accelerator pedal. He has a soft spot for cars with an Alfa Romeo badge.