Yahoo Autos Most efficient electric cars
Plenty of electric cars have impressive claimed range figures but managing to achieve them is another story. With the increasing number of EVs to choose from, buyers are hunting for the most energy-efficient electric cars to really make the most of their batteries between charges.
Electric car efficiency is measured by calculating its miles per kilowatt hour used, shortened to mpkWh. For example, a Volkswagen ID 3 with a 77kWh battery would require an efficiency of 4.5mpkWh to achieve its officially rated 347 miles of range.
A vehicle's efficiency is affected in several different ways, with aspects such as weight proving to be a key factor in positively or negatively impacting range.
The Audi Q8 E-tron, for example, is powered by a 106kWh battery, but weighs a staggering 2585kg, meaning it can deliver only around 2.9mpkWh.
Larger, SUV-style electric cars are also usually impacted more by drag, which reduces their range compared with sleeker, more aerodynamic sports cars and hatchbacks.
The range and efficiency of electric cars are also heavily influenced by the weather conditions and outside temperatures. Warmer temperatures mean a battery’s chemical reactions can occur faster and offer higher range, whereas colder weather requires more energy, reducing range.
Other aspects dictated by the driver, such as how fast you drive and the use of climate control or air conditioning, also affect range. A car will often be able to travel further on a single charge in the city compared with on the motorway, as more power is required to sustain higher speeds and handle the increase in drag.
Now you know how an electric car’s efficiency is impacted - but just how efficient are electric cars in the real world, and which are the most efficient electric cars on sale today? Our list below details the best EVs to squeeze the most mileage out of your battery.
Most efficient electric cars on sale
Peugeot e-308
Claimed efficiency 4.9mpkWh
Autocar’s test efficiency tbc
The Peugeot e-308 is due in October 2023 and Peugeot has made some impressive claims about its potential range and efficiency figures, labelling it "a benchmark among 100% electric vehicles in the C-segment".
Peugeot says that with the e-308’s EV-specific redesign, low-friction tyres and aerodynamic wheel options applied, the new e-308 will be capable of producing 4.8mpkWh in hatchback guise.
Of course, real-world tests will prove whether it can achieve that ambitious figure, and if it can, it will be the most efficient electric car on sale.
The new e-308 is powered by a 51kWh (usable) battery with 252 miles of range. The French car maker has priced the hatch from £40,050 here in the UK, and the estate will follow later in 2023.
Read all about the new Peugeot e-308
Tesla Model 3
Claimed efficiency 4.7mpkWh
Autocar’s test efficiency 4.5mpkWh
The Tesla Model 3 is one of the electric car pioneers. The current version is available with 305 miles of range in its entry-level form, rising to 374 miles for Long Range models, or 340 miles in the blisteringly fast Performance variant.
In standard-range guise, the Tesla Model 3 returned a brilliant 4.5mpkWh. That converts to 258 miles of range, which instantly makes the Model 3 one of the most efficient electric cars you can buy.
Expect it to further cement its position at the top in 2024, as the Model 3 will gain a facelift with updated battery tech (Tesla doesn't detail battery sizes), which ups the standard-range model’s trekking distance to 344 miles. We tested it earlier this year and returned a figure of 4.7mpkWh. Impressive.
Volkswagen ID 3
Claimed efficiency 4.5mpkWh
Autocar’s test efficiency 3.8mpkWh
Having entered its second generation in 2023, the Volkswagen ID 3 has proved itself to be one of the most efficient electric cars on sale.
Volkswagen’s first-ever bespoke electric hatchback, which launched back in 2019, is now available with both a 58kWh battery and a 77kWh unit. With that larger battery, Volkswagen says the ID 3 is able to travel 347 miles on a single charge.
In our tests, the ID 3 matched the Kia Niro EV, recording 3.8mpkWh. That calculates to 292 miles of range in the real world, which places the ID 3 near the top of the list of the most efficient electric car on sale.
Read our Volkswagen ID 3 review
Kia Niro EV
Claimed efficiency 3.9mpkWh
Autocar’s test efficiency 3.8mpkWh
The popular Kia e-Niro was renamed this year with the launch of its boldly styled second-generation model. Now called the Kia Niro EV, it still packs the same versatile powertrain set-up as the previous car.
It combines a 67kWh battery (64.8kWh usable capacity) with a 201bhp electric motor and has a claimed 285 miles of range. There is one downside: the Niro EV still falls behind its competitors in terms of charging speeds, with a maximum of 72kW.
But that might not matter, given the Niro EV’s impressive energy efficiency, which makes it one of the most efficient electric cars available in the UK. It's claimed to be 3.9mpkWh and our tests returned 3.8mpkWh - almost exactly as advertised. That equals 246 miles of range.
Vauxhall Corsa-e
