How far can an electric car go?

How far can an electric car go with a full charge?

The average distance an EV can travel is around 211 miles on a full charge. Vehicle range is determined by numerous factors including the size of the battery in kWh, the weight & design of the vehicle and ever fluctuating factors such as the weather & temperature. It is also dependent on the type of journey you tend to make (city or motorway driving).

Manufacturers tend to advertise their vehicles with the maximum potential range in perfect driving conditions. However, the most accurate estimate for vehicle range is called an EPA range, sometimes referred to as ‘actual range’ or ‘real range’ which gives a more accurate representation of mixed driving conditions, both inner city, motorway and real world conditions.

What Factors affect vehicle range?

Your vehicle’s battery size measured in kWh (Kilowatt hours) – The more kWh the battery holds, the further the vehicle will travel on a single charge.
Vehicle weight and design will affect the amount of kWh used. i.e. heavier vehicles will use more power than lighter vehicles. This includes any extra weight added to the vehicle including equipment, passengers and suit cases.
Driving style and habits affect the amount of energy used. Driving quickly, and with lots of breaking and fast acceleration between traffic lights, will use extra kilowatts. Equally, driving flat out on a motorway at higher speeds will sap the battery quickly. A steady and constant speed is the best way to achieve maximum range potential within the set speed limits.
Environment, weather & temperature will affect the amount of extra kilowatts used, driving on more demanding terrain, such as up steep hills, will put extra strain on the vehicle battery. Equally, ever changing weather conditions will play their part in how the vehicle range is affected on a given day. When the temperature drops, cold batteries need to use more energy to maintain an optimal operating temperature.

That’s not even all of the factors! Tire pressure, how well you look after your car, how much music you listen to when you drive and lots more factors need to be taken into consideration.

Whar is vehicle range?

Vehicle range is the estimated distance that your vehicle can travel on a single charge. In terms of electric vehicle’s, this refers to the amount of charge left in the vehicle battery at any given time.

This is often displayed (as a prediction based on your previous usage) on a vehicle dashboard as either a percentage or miles/KM remaining. A vehicles actual range will always depend on many fluctuating factors, such as the those mentioned above.

How low can my electric vehicle battery go before it needs charging?

Just like with petrol cars, you shouldn’t let your tank (or battery) run too low. Most EV’s convert kWh into a simple percentage figure to help determine the amount of charge left. To ensure your getting the most out of your battery life and prolong its performance, it is recommended to never allow your battery to fall below 15-20%.

However, with the ever increasing number of public charge points now available, and with the average distance between charge points decreasing, it is more likely you would be able to make it to a charge point even if you start running low. Though, it’s worth noting that you’d expect to get on average around 10.5 miles per 5% of charge, therefore we certainly wouldn’t recommend you risk entering a 20mile stretch of motorway if your battery level is in single digits.

Your questions, answered!

How many kWh does an EV use per mile?

Based on an average 54kWh battery and an average vehicle range of 211 miles, in the perfect conditions, an electric car will use on average around 0.25 kWh per mile.

Though this figure will always vary slightly based on the amount of extra energy used through the use of interior heaters, wind screen wipers, electronic features, etc. Equally, a continuous change in rolling resistance, fluctuating temperatures and daily weather conditions all play a part in the potential kWh used.

How many miles does an EV travel per kWh?

Since we know that an EV uses around 0.25kWh per mile, based on an average 54kWh battery and an average vehicle range of 211 miles, we can conclude that an electric car will travel about 4 miles per 1 kWh used, in the perfect driving conditions.

Which electric car has the longest range?

620 Miles is the official range of the Tesla Roadster and currently in the top spot for the longest driving range for an electric car, whilst the average between the top 10 longest range vehicles is 342 miles.