HOW FAR CAN ELECTRIC CARS REALLY GO?
With electric car tech rapidly charging ahead, we put 12 important models – new and not so new – through their paces to test their stamina
Photography: John Bradshaw
Our test procedure is designed to simulate stop-start urban driving and motorway trips alike
Twice a year (in the height of summer and the depths of winter) we put a selection of electric vehicles (EVs) through a ‘drive ’em till they die’ endurance test. The aim? To find out how far they can really go on a full charge and to see how efficiently they use the electricity stored in their batteries.
Some of the cars in this latest test (which took place in August), such as the MG 4, Genesis GV60 and Volkswagen ID Buzz, have taken part before – but there are plenty of newcomers, too, including the BYD Atto 3, Mercedes-Benz EQE and Smart #1. We’ve also got two Tesla Model 3s – an entry-level RWD and a higher-spec Long Range – to find out if it’s really worth paying extra for a bigger-battery version of an EV.
And for those who are in the market for a used EV, we also included a 10-year-old BMW i3 with 41,000 miles on the clock and a six-year-old Renault Zoe (with 33,000 miles) to see how they stack up today – models you can pick up on the second-hand market for as little as £8000.