Consumer Reports Says Nearly Half Of EVs Tested Fall Short Of EPA Range Estimates

There are also a select few vehicles that beat their estimates.

Lucid Air range figure

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Dec 5, 2023 at 3:27pm ET

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Electric vehicle range isn't an exact science. Figures depend highly on road, weather, and driving conditions, with a laundry list of other factors that could affect the mileage in between. If you look over the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) guidelines for how it determines range, there are many qualifiers. That said, some EVs are still missing the mark.

2023 Lucid Air Touring

Consumer Reports conducted a 70-mile-per-hour highway test that consisted of fully charged vehicles with anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 miles on the odometer, with outside temperatures hovering around 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the time of testing. Even in ideal conditions like these, nearly half of the 22 EVs fell short of their EPA range estimates.

Models from Ford, Lucid, and Tesla were among the guiltiest parties. The Model S fell 39 miles short of its 405-mile estimate and the Lucid Air failed by 40 miles. The worst offender of the group was the F-150 Lightning, which only achieved 270 miles instead of its 320-mile EPA rating.

Other EVs from Audi, Hyundai, Genesis, Nissan, and Kia fell short of their EPA ratings as well, but all of those vehicles by fewer than 20 miles. The Nissan Ariya, for example, was only four miles short of its EPA rating, while the Ioniq 6 was just five miles short.

2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6

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But it wasn’t all bad. BMW's EVs exceeded their EPA ratings – by a lot. The i4 was 47 miles better than its estimate while the iX was 46 miles better. The most successful of the group was the Mercedes-Benz EQE, which drove for 332 miles. That’s 72 miles better than its estimated EPA range.

Certain vehicles from brands like Chevrolet, Nissan, Polestar, Tesla, and Rivian aren’t represented in this test, CR notes, because they did not meet the criteria for testing. You can see the full list of cars – and how they faired – below.

EVs With Impressive Range

The Tesla Cybertruck's Range Extender Is An External Battery Pack

This Lotus EV Charger Adds 89 Miles Of Range In Five Minutes

Model EPA Rating CR Tested Range Audi Q4 50 E-Tron Premium Plus 241 Miles 226 Miles BMW i4 M50 271 Miles 318 Miles BMW iX xDrive50 324 Miles 370 Miles Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat ER 320 Miles 270 Miles Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD ER 270 Miles 299 Miles Genesis Electrified GV70 Advanced 236 Miles 220 Miles Genesis GV60 Advanced 248 Miles 251 Miles Hyundai Ioniq 5 SEL AWD 256 Miles 267 Miles Hyundai Ioniq 6 SEL AWD 270 Miles 265 Miles Kia EV6 Wind AWD 274 Miles 277 Miles Kia Niro EV Wind 253 Miles 239 Miles Lexus RZ 450e Premium 220 Miles 202 Miles Lucid Air Touring 384 Miles 344 Miles Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic 260 Miles 332 Miles Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 350 4Matic 253 Miles 284 Miles Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4Matic 340 Miles 380 Miles Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 450 4Matic 285 Miles 314 Miles Nissan Ariya Platinum+ AWD 257 Miles 253 Miles Rivian R1T 314 Miles 344 Miles Subaru Solterra Limited 222 Miles 210 Miles Tesla Model S Long Range 405 Miles 366 Miles Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD 240 Miles 253 Miles

Source: Consumer Reports

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