The Best Long Range Electric Cars

Currently the flagship star for driving range, the Tesla Model X has been a class-leader in this domain for quite some time. The 351 mile range has been enough to keep this car at the front of the pack, which is partly why the Model X was also first place in our top 10 of The Best Luxury Electric Cars. That could all change when Tesla’s mighty Roadster is released. The stunning Roadster has a jaw-dropping claimed driving range of 620 miles, which we reckon will make it a front-runner (like the Model X) for years to come.

In close second, the Tesla Model S is just as impressive, with its 335 mile driving range. Like the Model X, this car comes filled to the brim with clever tech and futuristic features. You get 360-degree cameras and an autopilot that’s ready and waiting for the autonomous car revolution. That’s right – the car is ready to drive itself. Also helping add miles to that range is the brilliant infrastructure of Tesla’s quick charge points throughout Britain, Europe and beyond.

This may be a surprise entry on this list to some people, yet the Hyundai Kona Electric is up there with the best when it comes to driving range – something that’s extra impressive considering its low starting price. For your money, you get a whopping driving range of up to 300 miles. You also get a noteworthy acceleration time of 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds. The Kona Electric also comes well-equipped as standard with useful features like a reversing camera, Bluetooth, a DAB radio, hill start assistance and lane keeping assistance.

The Jaguar i-Pace only just misses out on a top spot with a respectable driving range of 292 miles. It’s somewhat funny to think that a car which legitimately challenges the Tesla’s Model X and S is beaten by a funky Hyundai SUV at half the price. Nonetheless, the i-Pace is still a magnificent EV. Best of all, it’s one of the finest electric vehicles to drive, offering sports car-like handling and a punchy motor that can do 0-60mph in just 4.5 seconds. It’s tough to find an EV that offers the same driving experience.

With the new Z.E 40 battery upgrade, the Renault Zoe can now reach an impressive driving range of 250 miles, which is especially good considering it’s one of the cheapest EVs on the market. If you go for the quick charge upgrade, the Zoe can even be plugged in at a motorway supercharger to refill its batteries to 80% in just 65 minutes. Renault has pulled out all the stops with this model, providing an electric car that’s affordable and capable. The car even comes well-equipped as standard, particularly the Dynamique Nav trim.

The Nissan Leaf reached first place in our top 10 of The Best Electric Cars in the UK and our pick of The Best Electric Cars for New Drivers. In this category though, it comes sixth with a still respectable driving range of 235 miles. Along with the Renault Zoe and BMW i3, the Nissan Leaf has long been a popular model. It’s a great little city car that’s well-priced, good to drive and kitted out with good equipment as standard. To get the most out of the car, opt for the mid-level Acenta trim and get the useful Nissan Connect system, which displays nearby charging stations and telematics, helping you to go further with more ease.

The Hyundai Ioniq might not be as stunning as Hyundai’s other effort, the Kona Electric, but arguably (as an affordable mid-sized car), it doesn’t need to be. In other words, the Kona is an SUV designed for long distances, whilst the Ioniq is perfect for day-to-day sprints. But don’t let that statement kid you into thinking its range is average. In fact, the Ioniq has a driving range of up to 174 miles, placing it above some of the more prestigious brands. It also has a quick recharge time from a dedicated 7kW home wall-box charger.

The latest line-up of the BMW i3 has an improved driving range of up to 160 miles. However, the petrol range extender is being phased out for Europe (not in Japan or America where sales are strong). BMW believe the new range of the i3 provides sufficient mileage. It’s hard to argue with them, even if the range extender proved to be a useful addition. In fact, it’s even harder to argue now considering the ever-growing and impressive infrastructure of charge points throughout Britain. Still, the BMW i3 impresses, more so now with that extra mileage under its belt.

Whilst not as good a driving range as other affordable EVs, the Volkswagen e-Golf still manages a decent distance of 144 miles. More impressively, it manages to feel like a Golf and provide a similar driving experience, which is exactly what you’d want from the model. Whilst it doesn’t compete in with the likes of the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf in terms of range, it does have a quick charge time of around six hours from a dedicated 7.2kW home wall-box charger. That certainly makes it a lot more practical as a city car.

The Kia Soul just manages to compete with the likes of the VW e-Up, with a driving range of up to 132 miles. Again, like similar EVs that have a relatively short driving range, the Soul manages to recharge its batteries from a dedicated 7kW home wall-box in around five hours. From a motorway supercharger, you should get an 80% charge in about 30 minutes, which makes the car more practical. Like most EVs, the Kia Soul also comes well-equipped as standard, with useful features like a reversing camera.