Inside EVs Tests the Highway Range of Popular Electric Vehicles
Every EV comes with an EPA-rated estimated range. But how accurate are those numbers, really?
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Serena Aburahma
Battery range remains a top selling point for
electric vehicles
, but anyone seriously looking to buy an EV will know that you can’t always rely on the ratings measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That’s because the range of every EV changes depending on weather conditions, speed, traffic, and a multitude of other factors.
To help bring clarity to the EV curious,
Inside EVs
(IE) conducted its own highway range test, driving electric vehicles available in the U.S. around the same loop at 70 mph. Jerry
, your car insurance super app, took a look at the results to give you the gist of how it turned out.First things first: why and how InsideEVs conducted its test
On its “About Us” page, IE says its goals go beyond sharing news on the developing world of electric vehicles. The website also hopes to promote the shift toward the technology. Its
highway driving
range test works to do just that.The problem is this: EPA range ratings are unreliable at best. The same Tesla Model 3 can much longer drive on an open stretch of highway on a sunny California day than it will when drudging through Chicago traffic in November.
IE hopes to help clear up the confusion by measuring battery range in the real world, charging each model to 100%, entering the highway as soon as possible, and driving them at a constant speed of 70 mph until the charge runs out.
Details like tire pressure, ambient temperature, and use of features like interior heating or cooling are all taken into account.
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The results of InsideEVs’ battery range test
The contrast between IE’s test results and EPA ratings is immediately clear. While both raters found the Lucid Air Dream Edition to have the best available range, IE measured it to be 20 miles lower than its EPA rating of 520 miles.
The two EVs that came out of IE’s test the best were actually the second and third-best models. The Mercedes EQS traveled 395 miles on a single charge, 45 miles better than its EPA rating. The BMW iX also bested its EPA rating by 21 miles, landing at 345 miles on IE’s test.
Contrasting numbers could be found on the other end of the spectrum as well. The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 had the biggest gap in results. The EPA rated its range at 256 miles. IE could only get to 195 miles.
How to use Inside EVs’ range test results
IE admits right off the bat that their highway driving range test isn’t perfect. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. The site encourages drivers to compare the data collected with the EPA’s numbers and other range ratings.
It’s also important to consider factors besides range when looking for an electric car. The vehicles with the best batteries tend to also be the most expensive.
And with charging infrastructure continuing to improve across the country, it’s easier to rely on a car with a smaller battery that you can actually afford.
Once you choose the EV that’s right for you, be sure to shop for car insurance with Jerry. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy.
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