If there’s one EV topic that gets tongues wagging, it’s how many miles you can get out of a single charge. And understandably so. Having a big range at your disposal means you don’t need to top up as often, and makes it more likely you can get away with charging exclusively at home.
The good news is, as the tech advances, EV ranges are getting bigger. The average car in the UK drives 127 miles per week, and modern EVs can handle that no sweat. Let’s take a look at EVs with the biggest ranges, across the four major car classes:
- Superminis
- Small family cars
- Large family cars and SUVs
- Executive cars
Manufacturers’ advertised ranges
Before we get stuck in, a word on manufacturers’ advertised ranges. It’s true that real-life range depends on a few factors, and that you need near-perfect conditions to get close to the manufacturers’ claims.
Of course, it’s the same with fossil fuel gas guzzlers. They’ve all got an advertised MPG (miles per gallon) figure that’s, shall we say, ambitious.
You’d need to drive the thing on roads as smooth as a billiard ball, have your tyres optimised to the nearest 0.001 psi, and hold the crown for the World’s Most Efficient Driver, to get it.
For this test, we’re going by advertised ranges because that’s the available data. Just bear in mind that the real-life range might be slightly less.
Superminis
Superminis are, well, mini. And super. Easy to park and fun to drive, they’re small cars designed primarily for nipping around town or day to day driving.
Smaller cars mean smaller batteries, but that doesn’t mean you need to stress about running out of juice. The top models will still give you close to 200 miles on a single charge.
The winner: Vauxhall Corsa Electric 51 kWh
The iconic Vauxhall Corsa: first launched in 1993, one of Britain’s best-ever selling cars, and still making waves 30 years on. The 51 kWh supermini has an advertised range of 195 miles, more than enough for a week’s worth of school runs and trips to the shops.
Second and third spots on the supermini podium are tied between the Renault Zoe ZE50 R135, the Mini Cooper Electric SE, and the Peugeot e-208 51 kWH – each with 190 miles.
We’ve consulted the jury and we’re going to award the silver medal to the Peugeot, because it’s got the fastest rapid charge rate (up to 250 miles in one hour), meaning you can top up to 100% in well under an hour. By this measure, the Mini gets bronze.
Superminis with the biggest range
| Position | Car | Range (miles) |
| 1 | Vauxhall Corsa Electric 51 kWh | 195 |
| 2 | Peugeot e-208 51 kWH | 190 |
| 3 | Mini Cooper Electric SE | 190 |
Small family cars
The small family car segment includes family classics such as VW Golf, Ford Focus, and Audi A3. These cars are multi-purpose workhorses. School runs in the week and camping trips at the weekend.
EVs in this class have got bigger batteries than their supermini siblings, with ranges to match.
The winner: Peugeot e-3008 98 kWh Long Range (available from 2024)
The only car in this class sporting a 98 kWh battery, the Peugeot e-3008 Long Range punches well above its weight. You can get up to 320 miles out of a single charge, which is up there with the best on the market.
It’s also got a hefty boot and can take a rapid charge of up to 420 miles in one hour. Could it be the most practical small family motor out there?
Bringing up the rear with still-impressive 280 mile ranges are the Volkswagen ID.3 Pro S and the Cupra Born.
Small family cars with the biggest range
| Position | Car | Range (miles) |
| 1 | Peugeot e-3008 98 kWh Long Range | 320 |
| 2 | Volkswagen ID.3 Pro S | 280 |
| 3 | Cupra Born | 280 |
Large family cars and SUVs
Back in the day, 4x4s were the preserve of serious off-roaders who liked nothing more than driving through rivers and up mountains.
These days, they’ve evolved into vehicles more at home in the Waitrose car park. Spartan interiors and heavy duty engineering have made way for huge boot space, easy driving, and ISOFIX fittings.
The SUV and large family car segment is the most popular in the UK, accounting for over 50% of car sales. There are almost 90 different electric car options in this bracket: which one’s got the biggest range?
The winner: Fisker Ocean
Apparently, Netflix, Disney, and Coca Cola have been voted the best things to come out of America. Whoever took part in that survey obviously hadn’t heard of the Fisker Ocean, a family-sized SUV with a range of 330 miles.
Alright, we jest. But it’s currently got the biggest range of any large family car on the UK market, according to Electric Vehicle Database.
The next two on the list are the BMW i4 eDrive 40 with 320 miles and the Tesla Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor with 315 miles.
Large family cars and SUVs with the biggest range
| Position | Car | Range (miles) |
| 1 | Fisker Ocean | 330 |
| 2 | BMW i4 eDrive 40 | 320 |
| 3 | Tesla Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor | 315 |
Executive cars
This segment features some hefty price tags – all of the top three cost over £80k – but the cars are packed with high performance tech that even the most hardened luddite would swoon at.
The car with the biggest range currently available in the UK is the Mercedes EQS 450+. Get behind the wheel of one of these and you’ll have a monster 395 miles to play with. That’s on a par with a full tank in some gas guzzlers and enough to get you from London to Edinburgh on a single charge.
The Tesla Model S and BMW i7 eDrive50 make up the podium with 355 and 325 miles respectively.
Executive cars with the biggest range
| Position | Car | Range (miles) |
| 1 | Mercedes EQS 450+ | 395 |
| 2 | Tesla Model S | 355 |
| 3 | BMW i 7eDrive50 | 325 |
This is just the beginning…
While the basic premise of a gas guzzler internal combustion engine hasn’t changed much for decades, electric car tech is progressing rapidly.
If you’re impressed by 300 mile plus ranges (we certainly are), then you’ve got plenty to look forward to. Manufacturers, such as Toyota, are working on battery tech that could see ranges three times that in the next few years.
With a 900 mile range, you could easily get away with a once-a-fortnight top up at home. No trips to the petrol station and no worrying about running out of juice, ever. Happy days.
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