Mercedes, BMW Exceed EPA Range in Real-World Test, Tesla Falls Short

The real-world EPA range test by Consumer Reports of 22 EVs reveals surprising observations.

As per the latest survey by Consumer Reports, Mercedes and BMW were able to surpass their EPA estimated range numbers. However, Tesla, Ford and Lucid underperformed severely. It goes without saying that the manufacturer-suggested range stats can only serve as guidelines and indicators. Depending on countless factors, including driving mannerisms, temperature, HVAC, terrain, etc., these figures could fluctuate quite a bit.

Interestingly, however, the potential EV buyers would be glad to know that at times, the real-world range could even be higher than the advertised EPA range. That is exactly what transpired in this survey. On the other hand, as expected, almost half of the 22 EVs fell short of their indicated range.

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Real-World EPA Range Test – Criteria

While comparing the real-world performances of 22 prominent EV models, it was necessary to set some basic framework to have sensible competition. Therefore, all cars were set to Eco mode (if available), the climate control was set to 72° F (22° C), cruise control was deployed, EVs had standard tires from the factory, regenerative braking was set to lowest, the odometers read between 2,000 (3,219 km) and 15,000 miles (24,140 km), EVs were fully charged and driven at a constant 70 mph (112 km/h).

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Results

First, let’s talk about the performances of EVs which surpassed their range promises. Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4MATIC was able to offer 332 miles (534 km) versus the EPA-claimed 260 miles (418 km). That is a massive difference of 72 miles (116 km). The Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC was able to 40 miles (64 km) more than what the carmaker promised. This means 380 miles (612 km) instead of 340 miles (547 km). Similarly, the BMW i4 M50 and BMW iX xDrive50 were able to demonstrate 47 miles (76 km) and 46 miles (74 km) more than their suggested 271 miles (435 km) and 324 miles (521 km), respectively.

EV Model	EPA Range	Real-World Range	Difference
Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4MATIC	260 mi	332 mi	+72 mi
Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC	340 mi	380 mi	+40 mi
BMW i4 M50	271 mi	318 mi	+47 mi
BMW iX xDrive50	324 mi	370 mi	+46 mi
Ford Mustang Mache-E Premium AWD Extended Range	270 mi	299 mi	+29 mi

On the other end of the spectrum, some big names failed to impress. This includes the likes of Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range, Lucid Air Touring and Tesla Model S Long Range which gave 50 miles (80 km), 40 miles (64 km) and 39 miles (62 km) less than their indicated 320 miles (515 km), 384 miles (618 km) and 405 miles (652 km), respectively. All other electric cars from Rivian, VW, Subaru, Nissan, Lexus, Kia, Hyundai, Genesis and Audi were within 20 miles (32 km) of their EPA-estimated range numbers.

EV Model	EPA Range	Real-World Range	Difference
Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range	320 mi	270 mi	-50 mi
Lucid Air Touring	384 mi	344 mi	-40 mi
Tesla Model S Long Range	405 mi	366 mi	-39 mi
Lexus RZ 450e Premium	220 mi	202 mi	-18 mi
Kia Niro EV Wind	253 mi	239 mi	-14 mi

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Learn Electric Cars Says

The EPA range takes into account a combined simulated city and highway driving and denotes a single range figure. This is unlike ICE cars which have separate city and highway stats. Now, it is understandable that no car will ever give the exact same number as promised by the carmaker due to so many variables involved. Still, this report presents a rather encouraging scenario where EVs could even give more than their advertised range numbers if driven in a certain way and the conditions are conducive.

Those extra miles on a highway could be the difference between electric car owners getting home safely and being stranded on the highway. Nevertheless, we would always advise to never test the complete range of your EV and plan the trip in advance. Otherwise, you will need to bring your EV on the back of the flatbed, like on this test. Yes, each EV was driven until it stopped.