► The best electric cars with long ranges
► Long-range EVs from Jaguar, Tesla, Kia
► Drive for miles with long-distance cars
Ahead of power, top speed and the zero-to-sixty time, range has become the key metric when shopping for a new electric car. Whether drivers truly need a car that can rack up over 300 miles between half-hour trips to the charger is a debate for another time. But until the public charging infrastructure is as convenient and reliable as fuel stations, car companies will strive to overcome range anxiety by offering as much range as possible.
How far an electric vehicle (EV) can go on a single charge is one of the biggest barriers to entry for many punters, but it need not be a concern. The latest generation of electric cars have sufficient range to meet most drivers' daily use with ease; many EV owners will simply charge at home and rarely have to bother with the public infrastructure.
Fortunately, there are now many electric cars offering claimed ranges in excess of 250 miles – allowing them to travel far and wide on a single charge. This, in conjunction with ever-decreasing charge times, means electric motoring is now an option for even more buyers.
The longest range electric cars you can buy in 2021
The ten cars featured in this article have the longest ranges among EVs on sale in the UK in 2021. Tesla still tops the list, as it has done since the Model S first arrived back in 2012, with a massive 405 miles of claimed range. We say claimed, because the recently-updated Tesla Model S and Model X are yet to receive a WLTP range rating, and won’t arrive in the UK until the end of 2022. Until then, the range king is the Ford Mustang Mach-E, at 379 miles, followed closely by the Tesla Model 3 Long Range, at 360 miles.
Other highlights include the ID.3 and ID.4 from Volkswagen, the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Tesla Model S Long Range
- 405-mile range (WLTP)
- £77,9800
The Tesla Model S has been the undisputed EV range king for almost a decade now, and the latest version extends that lead even further with an estimated 405 miles of range. However, at least for the UK market, this is only an estimate now, and one based on the US vehicle and that country’s EPA test cycle.
While British Tesla fans won’t see the new Model S until the end of 2022 at the earliest, the good news is that the WLTP range estimates used here tend to be even longer than the more strict EPA test cycle. So that 405-mile figure could end up being even higher.
Tesla also offers the Model S Plaid, which is currently listed in the US and UK with an estimated range of 396 miles. Again, when that car arrives here at the end of 2022 it could receive a higher EPA figure. The Model S Plaid+, which was said by Tesla to have a range of over 520 miles, has since been removed from the company website, with boss Elon Musk saying the regular Model S Plaid (‘regular’ being a relative term) is good enough.
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Tesla Model S Long Range review
Ford Mustang Mach-E
It might have a contentious name, but the Ford Mustang Mach-E puts up a worthy fight against Tesla’s long-range supremacy. The single-motor version of the Mach-E with the larger 88kWh battery option produces the most range, with up to 379 miles using the WLTP test cycle.
The Mach-E is priced from £41,330 in the UK but for that you get a quoted range of 273 miles from a 68kWh battery. Upgrade to the 88kWh battery while retaining the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive configuration, and £49,980 gets you that impressive headline range of 379 miles. Ford also offers an all-wheel-drive Mach-E, priced from £46,650 and with a range of 248 miles (or 335 miles with the larger battery), while the flagship Mach-E GT starts at £67,225 and has a range of 310 miles.
Ford Mustang Mach-E review
Tesla Model 3 Long Range
- 360-mile range (WLTP)
- £48,490
Back to Tesla now and the best-selling Model 3. Available in three specifications, the Model 3 starts at £40,990 for the Standard Range Plus, which has a WLTP range of 278 miles and a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds.
Next is the Long Range, which starts at £48,490, has a range of 360 miles and a 0-60mph time of 4.2 seconds. Lastly, the Model 3 Performance is priced from £59,990, has a range of 352 miles, and boasts a 0-60mph time of just 3.1 seconds – or 0.1s quicker than a McLaren F1.
The three variants of Model 3 have top speeds of 140mph, 145mph and 162mph respectively, with the same five colour and two interior options available across the range.
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Tesla Model 3 review
Tesla Model X Long Range
- 360-mile range (WLTP)
- £98,980
The last entry from Tesla is the Model X, which also recently underwent a major upgrade and won’t be available in the UK until the end of 2022. Like the Model S, the range figures Tesla states are estimates, with the £98,980 Long Range clocking up 360 miles, a 0-60mph time of 3.8 seconds, and a top speed of 155mph.
Above this sits the Model X Plaid, which costs from £110,980, has a 340 miles range, a claimed 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 163mph. As with the Model S, these are US values and the range figures are likely to change once the WLTP test cycle is taken into account.
Tesla Model X review
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Volkswagen ID.3 Tour
- 340-mile range (WLTP)
- £38,815
Of the several versions of ID.3 Volkswagen sells, the Tour has the longest range thanks to its single electric motor and 77kWh battery pack. This means an WLTP range of 340 miles, putting it ahead of much of the competition and only slightly behind Tesla. This particular model of ID.3 is priced from £38,815 and has a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds.
One of the broadest ranges of electric cars on sale today, the ID.3 starts at £29,635 for the entry-level Life model. This has a far smaller 45kWh battery pack good for a WLTP range of 217 miles, or can be bought with a 58kWh battery delivering 263 miles of range. That larger battery delivers 260 miles in the ID.3 Family and 258 miles with the ID.3 Max.
Volkswagen ID.3 review
Volkswagen ID.4 Tour
The second member of Volkswagen’s all-electric family is called the ID.4. Larger than its ID.3 sibling, this mid-size SUV is offered with battery sizes of 52kWh and 77kWh. The entry-level ID.4 Life is priced from £34,995 and has a range of 213 miles from the ‘Pure’ smaller battery and 322 miles from the larger ‘Pro Performance’ battery.
There are six members of the Volkswagen ID.4 family, with the first two offered with a choice of battery sizes, and the remaining four fitted with the 77kWh option. The range is topped by the GTX Max, which is priced from £55,555 and has a WLTP range of 291 miles. Charge times for the two batteries are 29 minutes and 34 minutes respectively for a charge from 10 to 80 percent using a rapid charger.
Power output starts at 168bhp for the entry-level Life and Style trim levels, with a single, rear-mounted electric motor. Power increases to 201bhp when you opt for the pricier Family and Max models.
Volkwagen ID.4 review
Skoda Enyaq IV 80
The Enyaq is the first fully electric car from Skoda. There are two drivetrain options to pick from, with the Enyaq 60 having a 58kWh battery pack and a WLTP range of 256 miles, and the Enyaq 80 increasing battery capacity to 77kWh and range to 331 miles.
Both have a pair of electric motors and all-wheel-drive, and their performance is similar, with a 0-62mph time of 8.7 seconds for the Enyaq 60 and 8.5 seconds for the Enyaq 80. Above these sits the 80 Sportline and the 80X Sportline. These have the same 77kWh battery pack powering a motor on the rear axle, and the Sportline has the same 8.5-second 0-62mph time, but with a slightly reduced range of 326 miles.
The flagship 80X Sportline sees the 0-62mph time drop to 6.9 seconds, a lower-stiffer chassis, two motors for all-wheel-drive, and range is reduced to 303 miles.
Skoda Enyaq review
Kia EV6
- 316-mile range (WLTP)
- £43,895
Kia’s new electric car, the EV6, doesn’t yet have an official WLTP range. Instead, the company says it has a “preliminary development target” of 316 miles, and this is described as the figure to be expected during the WLTP test cycle.
The strikingly designed EV is due to arrive in UK dealerships between July and October 2021, and is priced from £40,895. Above this sits the EV6 GT-line, which starts at £43,895 and has the same targeted 316 miles of range from its 77.4kWh battery pack.
The flagship EV6 GT is yet to receive a price or range, but boasts a dual-motor drivetrain with 576bhp and a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds. An 800-volt system architecture – like that of a Porsche Taycan – means the EV6 can charge its battery from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 18 minutes.
Kia EV6 review
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Hyundai Kona Electric
- 300-mile range (WLTP)
- £38,900
The Kona Electric by Hyundai shares the same all-electric drivetrain as the Kia e-Niro, but offers slightly less range, at a claimed 279 miles on the WLTP test cycle for the largest 64kWh battery option. A 39kWh model is also available from £32,900, but that has a range of just 189 miles.
As with the Kia, the Hyundai also has paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking, and a ‘melodic driving sound’ emitted outside helps to alert pedestrians and cyclists to the otherwise near-silent car.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both included, along with wireless charging for your smartphone. The Kona gets a five-year warranty as well, while the battery is covered for an impressive eight years.
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Hyundai Kona Electric review
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The handsome Ioniq 5 rounds out our list of the electric cars with the longest range. Prices start at £36,995 for the SE Connect trim level with a 58kWh battery pack good for a range of 238 miles. Paying an extra £2,650 increases the battery capacity to 73kWh and ups power output from 168bhp to 215bhp. Hyundai says the WLTP range of the Ioniq 5 with the larger battery pack is 298 miles.
Like the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 uses an 800-volt battery system that can be rapid-charged at 350kW chargers from providers like Ionity. The system allows for Vehicle-to-Load technology, where the car can be used to charge electrical equipment, power camping equipment, and even charge another electric car at a rate of 3.6kW.
Inside, the minimalist cabin features a pair of 12.3-inch digital displays and highly adjustable front seats that can be reclined, complete with a deployable leg rest, for when you fancy a nap while charging the battery.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 review
Further reading on electric cars