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10 longest-range electric cars: which is miles better?

longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022 - iStockphoto
longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022 - iStockphoto

Going electric is becoming more and more of a mainstream move for car buyers today – but that doesn’t mean everyone is convinced. In fact, plenty of buyers are put off by the prospect of range anxiety – that is to say, ending up with an electric car that simply can’t go as far as they need it to on a single charge.

But the latest wave of electric cars are capable of some very respectable ranges – the sort that mean you can do a week’s commute on a charge, and still have enough left in the ‘tank’ for a day out at the weekend.

Cars like these, which will need charging less often, could be an answer to the prayers of those who have an electric car, but don’t have a driveway on which to charge them. And for those that do, they mean destinations further afield are within easier reach – and that presents the possibility of an EV as a sole car in the household.

So what are the longest-range electric cars on sale in the UK today? We’ve found the 10 best, and ranked them in order of their range. And for the first time ever, given optimal conditions, all 10 can now manage at least 340 miles on a charge. The times, they are a-changin’.

Best electric cars for longest range

10. Volkswagen ID.3 – 340 mi

A bit of a cheat, this one, because the ID.3 you actually want has the Pro Performance battery pack, which only allows for 263 miles between charges, whereas to get this class-leading range you’ll have to upgrade to the Pro S version. That brings with it slightly less impressive ride and handling qualities, which is why we prefer the lesser model; that said, nothing else out there offers this much for the price.

Volkswagen ID.3 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Volkswagen ID.3 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

9=. Tesla Model 3 – 348 mi

You can pick up a Model 3 for just £42,990 although to get the longest-range variant you’ll need to fork out £50,000. Still, compared with some of the other options here, the Model X looks like great value – and with a rather lovely, minimalist interior, loads of space and welter of high-tech gadgetry, it’s an extremely strong EV and it’s already stealing sales from smaller executive rivals like the BMW 3-Series.

Tesla Model 3 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Tesla Model 3 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

9=. BMW iX – 348 mi

The first thing you’ll probably note about the BMW iX is its controversial styling – you’ll either love or hate its narrow headlights, tall grille and drooping tail. But what’s less obvious is that it’s also one of the longest-range electric cars on sale in the UK, at least, if you choose the top-of-the-range M60. See past its looks, and the iX is also fast, quiet and smooth to drive – and it comes with a gorgeous interior swathed in eye-catching details.

BMW iX longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
BMW iX longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

8=. BMW i4 – 365 mi

The svelte i4 is the antithesis of the modern, chunky electric SUV, and a very important rival to the Tesla Model 3. That it outstrips the Model 3 on range alone shows how seriously BMW is taking its American rival. It also boasts a more involving driving experience than the Model 3’s, as well as a slicker ride and better build quality. The downsides? Well, there aren’t many, though you have to live with that grille...

BMW i4 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
BMW i4 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

7=. Tesla Model 3 – 374 mi

It’s fair to say Model 3 prices have gone up a bit lately. Even the most basic version will cost £48,490 – but to get the longest-range variant, you’ll need to fork out £57,490 instead. No longer does the Model 3 offer the attractive value it used to, then – although with its rather lovely, minimalist interior, vast interior space and welter of high-tech gadgetry, it’s still an extremely strong electric car, and it’s already stealing sales from junior executive rivals like the BMW 3 Series.

Tesla Model 3 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Tesla Model 3 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

5. Ford Mustang Mach-E – 379 mi

Ford’s leap into the world of EVs is as controversial as it is notable. Controversial for its appropriation of the nomenclature and styling cues from Ford’s most famous muscle car; notable because it arrives with a whopping range, in long-range, rear-wheel-drive form at least, and a Tesla-aping minimalist interior that’s dominated by a vast touchscreen. The Mache-E range is now topped by the blisteringly quick GT – although to get the maximum range figure listed here you’ll need to choose the more humble RWD Extended Range version instead.

Ford Mustang Mach-E longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Ford Mustang Mach-E longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

5=. Hyundai Ioniq 6 - 379 mi

Hot on the heels of the Ioniq 5 comes – appropriately – the Ioniq 6. It’s Hyundai’s latest electric car, and it takes the form of a sleek, streamlined saloon which contrasts markedly with the edgy SUV which came before. The Ioniq 6’s lower profile and smoother bodywork mean it gets a much greater range from the same 77.4kWh battery as its stablemate, and that gives it the edge over its closest and most important rival, the Tesla Model 3.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Hyundai Ioniq 6 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

4. BMW i7 - 387 mi

BMW’s challenger to the Mercedes-Benz EQS arrives at a slight disadvantage – unlike its rival, it isn’t built on a bespoke EV platform, but must instead share its bones with the upcoming 7-Series luxury saloon. You can see this in the shorter range, but don’t dismiss the i7 out of hand; the route BMW has chosen results in lower development costs and that should – in theory – mean the i7 is more competitively priced like-for-like. And if it can achieve the 387-mile range BMW is promising, that will be more than sufficient for most buyers. .

BMW i7 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
BMW i7 longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

3. Mercedes-Benz EQE – 395 mi (350)

Hot on the heels of the EQS comes the EQE, Mercedes’s smaller, slightly more affordable luxury electric saloon. In production form it can’t quite live up to the Model S-beating 410-mile range Mercedes promised, but 395 miles in EQE350+ form is still not to be sniffed at, and betters anything else that the EQE could call a direct competitor. The EQE is beautifully made and stunning inside, though keep in mind that its back seats and boot aren’t the most spacious.

Mercedes-Benz EQE longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Mercedes-Benz EQE longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

2. Tesla Model S – 405 mi

The Model S is now a little long-in-the-tooth, but it’s ageing gracefully, and with constant improvements and upgrades available over the air, Tesla contends it’s still as cutting-edge as ever. Certainly, only one other electric car on sale in the UK can beat the 405-mile range of the Long Range version. Mind you, it’s worth pointing out that this is an estimate based on US testing; the latest versions of the Model S haven’t had their European WLTP figures published yet. And, at a cool £91,980, it certainly doesn’t come cheap.

Tesla Model S longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Tesla Model S longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

1. Mercedes-Benz EQS – 453 mi

Knocking the Model S off its top spot is the car Mercedes-Benz aims to defeat it with – the EQS. From its whopping 108kWh battery comes a barely believable range of 453 miles – almost as much as you’d get from a fill-up in one of the EQS’s diesel equivalents. Match that to its sensational ride quality and palatial interior and you have a car that rather makes the Model S feel a bit old-hat.

Mercedes-Benz EQS longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022
Mercedes-Benz EQS longest range electric cars evs best miles battery charge uk 2022

This article is kept updated with the latest information.


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