By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
With a masters degree in automotive journalism, Dino has a forensic knowledge of the car industry and works closely with our lab to find the best (and worst) models.
In this article
Maximum range is an important consideration when buying an electric car (EV). All models have an official range based on industry-standard tests, but our independent tests show you’re very unlikely to match these figures.
While the official tests provide a good baseline to show how far an EV can travel on a single charge, our lab tests reveal they aren’t always accurate in relation to real-world driving.
Read on to discover the EVs with the longest official range, how our EV range tests are more intensive than official tests and give more realistic results, and why efficiency is arguably more important than range.
Best electric cars: view the models that scored highly in our lab tests
Below, we’ve listed the 10 longest-range EVs that are currently available to buy new in the UK.
These figures are based on the versions of each model with the largest battery option and use official WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure) figures. We've linked to our reviews of models where we have them, but note that we may not have tested the longest-range version of the car.
As the table shows, Mercedes-Benz and Audi sell more long-range EVs than any other brand, with two Audis and two Mercedes models appearing in our table. But it's Volvo's newly introduced EX60 that tops our table with its 503-mile range.
BMW’s iX3 model is close behind, although the much cheaper Mercedes-Benz CLA's range figure is impressive considering it’s the third-cheapest car in this list.
We’ve also given the wheel sizes for the Audis, BMW, DS and Tesla as they’re both available with larger or less aerodynamic wheels, which use more energy and deliver shorter range as a result (we explain more about the impact of wheel size on range).
free newsletter
Get under the hood with our Cars newsletter, it's free.
Our Cars newsletter delivers cars-related content, along with other information about Which? Group products and services. We won't keep sending you the newsletter if you don't want it – unsubscribe whenever you want. Your data will be processed in accordance with our privacy notice.
To illustrate how claimed range differs from our independent lab tests, the table below shows the five EVs with the longest claimed range that we’ve tested, along with the range figure we achieved in our tests and the percentage difference between the two.
Only logged-in Which? members can see the car names in the table below. Not yet a member? Join Which? today to get instant access.
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Digital £8.99 per month, cancel any time.
Already a member? Log in
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Digital £8.99 per month, cancel any time.
Already a member? Log in
Since 2019, the official range of all current EVs is based on WLTP tests – prior to this, they were tested on the now defunct NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) programme.
During the WLTP test, the car is accelerated and decelerated to different speeds. However, one significant issue is the focus on low-speed driving. The vehicle’s average speed during the entire test is under 30mph, with the car travelling at motorway (and higher) speeds for only around four of the 30-minute total test time.
The tests are carried out at a lab-set temperature of 23ºC, with the car’s climate control system switched off. They also factor in charging losses that are typically seen when recharging an EV, something that can vary a lot between different EVs (according to our lab test, which also factors in charging losses when calculating range and efficiency figures).
Although no lab test can perfectly test EV range, we believe our lab tests better reflect real-world driving, with more high-speed motorway running than official tests. We also turn on the car’s climate controls and set the temperature to 20ºC.
Our lab results suggest that you’ll experience around a 16% decrease in overall range when compared to WLTP figures, although this varies between cars.
For more information, read our guide on how we test cars.
The Volvo EX60 isn’t the longest-range EV out there.
The longest-range EV is in fact the Lucid Air: a luxury American car that has been sold in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland since 2023. In Grand Touring form with the optional 19-inch wheels, it has a WLTP range of 596.5 miles, easily beating the EX60's figure.
It’s unclear whether the Air will ever be sold in the UK, as the company never originally planned to offer it in right-hand drive form. Unsurprisingly, it’s also expensive (the cheapest Air costs the equivalent of £74,500 in Germany).
If it was ever offered in the UK, the claimed range would be enough to take you from Southampton to Inverness on a single charge (with 3.5 miles to spare).
Dino Buratti, Which? cars expert
Although many people focus on an EV’s range, our car tests also calculate something that’s arguably more important: efficiency. We take the tested efficiency into account when reviewing cars.
Ultimately, an efficient EV will be cheaper to run than an inefficient one. For example, the difference in running costs of the Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric and the Volvo XC40 Recharge is £343 (based on driving 5,561 miles a year and charging at home when paying 25p/kWh). A more efficient car is also more environmentally friendly to run, as less energy is needed to run the car (as highlighted by our Eco Buy cars).
And while a long range is desirable, many drivers will rarely need to use it. Our latest car survey shows that the average motorist only drives 15 miles per day – a distance that even a short-range (but efficient) EV can travel with ease.
So if you’re thinking about getting an EV and won’t often be going on long journeys, choosing an efficient one should be a more important consideration than one with a long driving range.
Should you buy an electric car? Read our jargon-free guide to find out
Along with the size of your car's alloy wheels (more on this below) several other factors affect electric car range.
For example, an electric car with a larger battery should, in theory have a longer range than an EV with a smaller battery. Cold weather also affects the amount of range you'll get from an EV, especially if your car doesn't have an energy-saving heat pump. Regular driving at high speeds will also reduce the amount of range your EV will be able to cover on a single charge.
For any given car, the bigger the wheels, the worse the electric range.
Bigger wheels are heavier and tend to have wider tyres with more rolling resistance, which takes more energy to accelerate and maintain speed. And that extra energy has a negative impact on overall range.
We asked ClearWatt (an EV battery health resource for car buyers) to provide us with some examples of how wheel size affects real-world range. ClearWatt gathers data from real EVs on the road to come up with its own figures for range.
This table shows a selection of examples where the difference between the best and worst wheels of a given car can make a noticeable difference to its range.
At the top of the list is the BMW i4 eDrive 40; ‘downgrading’ from 20 to 17-inch wheels can improve your range (and therefore efficiency) by more than a quarter, according to ClearWatt.
BMW’s own WLTP data suggests the change is less than 10% (353 to 377 miles) but – even if the reality is somewhere in between – if you drive a lot of miles, this could make a genuine difference to your ongoing charging costs.
It’s well worth seeing how these figures change as you’re configuring your car, and be sure to check with your dealer what size wheels a model comes with, so you know what to expect.
Here are some of our expert tips for eking out your EV’s range.
If you aren’t in a hurry to reach your destination, consider driving below the speed limit. The car’s electric motor won’t be spinning as fast, and you’ll use less energy as a result.
While it can be tempting to accelerate quickly in an EV (as they’re often very powerful), doing this a lot could leave you short on range when you need it, so go easy on that throttle. Accelerating gradually may also mean you don’t need to charge en route, which could actually end up making your journey faster.
Most EVs have regenerative braking, which uses energy from slowing down the car to charge the battery. Many also allow you to adjust the strength of the regen system. It can take time to get used to, but if you often drive in town or down hills , using a strong regen setting can increase your car’s range by several miles in a single journey.
Most cars have various driving modes. We’d recommend sticking to the car’s ‘eco’ or ‘efficient’ mode to conserve range, as this will dull the response of the electric motor to accelerator inputs.
Many sat nav systems allow you to configure what type of route you want to take. This can include setting energy-efficient routes, and doing so could help you save range. If your car doesn’t have this function, you can plan ahead by setting Google Maps to calculate your journey specifically for an EV (on mobile, open Google Maps, tap your profile icon, Settings, then 'Your vehicle').
For most drivers, these factors are of equal importance. As most car journeys are short and the vast majority of EV owners have access to home charging facilities, a low-range EV that can charge fully overnight will be suitable for their needs.
But if you drive long distances on a regular basis, charging speed becomes the more important factor. An EV that charges quickly but has a modest driving range (around 300 miles) may be able to cover a long journey in less time than an EV with a range of 400+ miles but a lower maximum charging speed.
Find the right policy for your vehicle using the service provided by Confused.com
See all from new and used cars
Find the right policy for your vehicle using the service provided by Confused.com
See all from new and used cars
About Us
Which? Limited (trading as Which?) is registered in England and Wales at 2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF, company number 677665, VAT number GB238534158, email: which@which.co.uk.
Which? is an Introducer Appointed Representative (FRN 610689) of Inspop.com Ltd (trading as Confused.com), LifeSearch Partners Ltd, HUB Financial Solutions Ltd, Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers Ltd, Stickee Technology Ltd and Travel Insurance Facilities Plc. The mortgage service is provided by London & Country Mortgages. Which? is also a payment agent (FRN 1041191) of Bud Finance Limited.
If you buy a product using a link to one of our commercial partners, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer. Such links do not constitute an endorsement by Which?.
© 2026 Which? All Rights Reserved.
Get the Which? app
Get the power of Which? in your pocket by downloading our app, giving you on-the-go access to our reviews
Got a problem?
Chat to a live agent or send us a message
More from Which?
My account
For experts
For businesses
Our legal policies
Help
© Which? 2026