2024-03-14 11:55:55
in short:
- A British test tested the driving range of 12 electric cars
- As expected and similar to gasoline cars, the real range is lower than the declared one
- The differences are surprisingly negative and reach almost 40%
A British test tested the real range of electric cars, and revealed significant gaps between the declared and reality. And not surprisingly, the manufacturer’s statements were found in all cases to be substantially more optimistic than the real figure. The only question was how much. Among other things, the test editors from the well-known automotive magazine ‘What Car?’ claimed that the current consumption standard (WLTP) tests the vehicles at a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. Lower temperatures change the results negatively, so the standard is not relevant.
The smallest gap: The figure closest to reality was achieved by the Mercedes EQE300 with a gap of 21% between the declared range and the figure achieved in the test, which was 483 km. The second place was reached by the Tesla Model 3 LR (increased range) with a gap of 25% (471 km). The BMW i5 eDrive 40M also presented a gap of 25% between the official figure and the real range (407 km).
The biggest gap: The Lexus UX300e registered the largest gap between the test data and the official figure – 38% – and this after accumulating only 273.7 km until the battery was completely drained. After it is another Lexus model, the RZ450e, which drove only 256 km in the test, which is 37% less than the figure The official range.
Rounding out the trio is the Volkswagen ID7 – without a heat pump whose function is to heat the battery before charging for optimal operation – with a gap of 34% and a tested range of 411 km. The same car with a heat pump registered a smaller but still disturbing range gap of 30%.
How were they tested: The test tested 12 cars of different size and price categories on a route that simulates the daily journey of an average consumer. The route consisted of a cyclic journey of 24 km in the following division: 4 km on an urban route with frequent stopping and starting of traffic, 7 km at a constant speed of 80 km/h, and 13 km traveling at 113 km/h.
In each driving cycle, drivers and the order of the cars were changed. The day of the test was rainy and windy, and the outside temperature ranged between 10-11 degrees Celsius.
Before the trip, the cars were fully charged, left in an open parking lot for about 14 hours at a temperature ranging from 6-10 degrees Celsius, reconnected to charge to make sure they didn’t lose energy and set off after checking the tire pressures. The climate control was set to 21 degrees, the engine management was set to ‘Eco’ mode or the equivalent possible, and regenerative braking to the vehicle’s default mode or to ‘adaptive-automatic’ mode when possible.
What we think: There is no doubt that the WLTP standard for electricity consumption, and the corresponding fuel standard, are better than the previous standard (NEDC) in its attempt to represent the real consumption of the average consumer. But still, in cars with internal combustion engines such as electric engines, shows results that are too far from reality. At least for the consumer, there should be better transparency, and the current test procedure is not satisfactory.
And there is another problem. In the case of an electric vehicle, the sensitivity to external changes is critical, much more than a gasoline vehicle for example, and certainly a diesel. When the temperature is low, the function of the battery is significantly impaired, and the electric range that will be achieved in Norway in the winter, is not relevant at all to what will be achieved in Greece in the summer. How do you solve this? Perhaps by testing that will take into account different temperatures, to simulate the situation for different markets and periods of the year. Until that happens, if it happens, you are advised to treat the data with suspicion.
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