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The Most and Least Driven Electric Cars

1
ISeeCars.com
·8 min read

Summary: 

  • Teslas are the most-driven electric cars, with all four models ranking at the top of the list

  • The average electric car is driven 9,059 miles a year, compared to 12,758 miles for gas-powered vehicles

  • Electric cars cost 47 percent more than internal combustion cars, but are driven 29 percent less

  • The strong relationship between an EV’s range and driving behavior confirms more range will increase use, but that’s not a realistic solution at today’s battery costs

 

 

The average 3-year-old electric car has been driven 9,059 miles per year, almost 29 percent less than the 12,758 miles per year 3-year-old gas-powered internal combustion vehicles drive. As a brand, Tesla tops the list for most-driven electric cars, with all four of its models beating the average for EVs. The Tesla Model X, a midsize family SUV with three rows of seating, is the most-driven electric car, averaging 10,378 miles a year.

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iSeeCars analyzed the data of over 860,000 vehicles to determine which electric vehicles were driven the most and the least, and to compare the EV numbers with traditional 3-year-old cars powered by internal combustion engines.

“Tesla drivers come the closest to matching the driving behavior of traditional car owners,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “Without Tesla, the average miles per year for EV drivers would drop from 9,059 to 6,719. It’s also interesting to see the Porsche Taycan, a direct competitor to the Model S, being the least-driven electric car. At 4,846 miles a year, it’s driven about half as much as the Model S at 9,340 miles per year.”

The Most Driven 3-Year-Old Electric Vehicles – iSeeCars.com Study

Rank

Model

Avg. Miles Driven Per Year

Avg. EPA Battery Range (miles)

Avg. Price

1

Tesla Model X

10,378

341

$76,193

2

Tesla Model Y

10,199

316

$49,406

3

Tesla Model 3

9,960

279

$37,909

4

Tesla Model S

9,340

378

$66,105

3-year-old EV average

9,059

279

$45,147

5

Hyundai Kona Electric

8,260

258

$29,961

6

Chevrolet Bolt EV

7,753

259

$25,928

7

Audi e-tron Sportback

7,210

218

$53,602

8

Jaguar I-PACE

6,910

240

$51,090

9

Hyundai Ioniq Electric

6,803

170

$24,748

10

Kia Niro EV

6,630

239

$32,301

11

Nissan LEAF

6,395

190

$25,917

12

Porsche Taycan

4,846

226

$117,484

Electric Cars vs. Internal Combustion: Pay More, Drive Less

Three-year-old electric vehicles have an average price of $45,147, while 3-year-old internal combustion cars cost an average of $30,760. This means electric cars cost 47 percent more than conventional vehicles, but are driven 29 percent less (9,059 miles vs. 12,758 miles). 

“Several factors contribute to EVs being driven less, including their common role as a second or third vehicle in a household, and being used less often for road trips,” said Brauer. “But the most powerful factor may be an EV’s battery range and the associated range anxiety.”

Range Anxiety: EV Driving Behavior as a Function of Battery Range

Comparing an electric car’s range to how it’s driven shows a consistent and expected pattern: more range equals more use.

*Datapoint labels correspond to the model rankings in “The Most Driven 3-Year-Old Electric Vehicles” table.