How far can an electric car go? It’s one of the first questions first-time electric vehicle (EV) shoppers have. In addition to questions about charging, shoppers looking into EVs are concerned about the range.
Ultimately, prospective buyers are worried if the EV will travel far enough to reach their typical destinations. With a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), or gas car, range isn’t so much an issue. However, with EVs, it can be a barrier.
When the first modern-day EVs came out in 2010, the average range was 86 miles per EV Adoption. Fast forward 10 years, the average range is now 256 miles.
That is a 7% improvement year over year. In other words, every year the average EV range increases 17 miles.
By 2023, it is predicted the average EV range will be over 300 miles. At that point, EVs are also expected to reach price parity with ICEVs.
Each and every year improvements and cost reductions to battery technology help increase the EV range incrementally. In fact, in 2021, nearly all new EVs will offer a trim with a range of over 300 miles.
When the typical commute is around 40-60 miles, it is safe to say that EVs now have more than enough range for the average American.
That being said, some consumers are only interested in EVs with the greatest amount of range. So how far can an electric car go? See the table below.
How Far Can an Electric Car Go?
| Make and Model | Segment | Range (Miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Cybertruck* | Truck | 300-500 |
| Rivian R1S* | SUV | 240-410 |
| Tesla Model S | Sedan | 387-402 |
| Rivian R1T* | Truck | 230-400 |
| Tesla Model X | SUV | 341-371 |
| Tesla Model 3 | Sedan | 260-353 |
| Tesla Model Y | Crossover | 303-325 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E* | Crossover | 230-300+ |
| Chevy Bolt | Hatchback | 259 |
| Hyundai Kona EV | Hatchback | 258 |
| VW ID.4* | Crossover | 250+ |
| Lordstown Endurance | Truck | 250+ |
| Audi e-tron | SUV | 222-245 |
| Kia Niro EV | Hatchback | 239 |
| Jaguar I-Pace | Crossover | 234 |
| Polestar 2 | Sedan | 233 |
| Nissan Leaf | Hatchback | 226 |
| Mercedes EQC* | SUV | 210 |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge* | Crossover | 208 |
| Porsche Taycan | Sport | 201 |
| Bollinger B1* | Truck | 200+ |
| Bollinger B2* | Truck | 200+ |
| Hyundai Ioniq EV | Sedan | 170 |
| BMW i3 | Hatchback | 153 |
As demonstrated in the chart above, Tesla vehicles are generally one of the longest range electric cars. However, new competition from Rivian, Ford, and Volkswagen aims to close the gap. In any case, EVs today are more than capable to complete typical commutes, errands, or long trips.
When a charging session is warranted, there are thousands of public charging stations available across the United States. For more information about charging, check out these articles:
- How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
- What is DC Fast Charging?
- 12 Electric Cars With the Most Range
- How To Charge An Electric Car
- What Is the Best Home EV Charger?
What Happens If You Run Out of Range?
Similar to ICEVs, when the battery is completely discharged, the vehicle will slowly come to a stop. To avoid a hazardous situation, the EV will notify the driver well in advance.
When the battery state of charge drops below 5%, most EVs will reduce maximum speed to allow the driver to safely find a nearby charging station. If the battery is completely drained, the vehicle will need to be towed.
To help avoid this unfortunate situation, all EVs have a digital range meter. In addition, there are many smartphone apps to help EV drivers plan long trips to ensure they can make the journey. If charging is required, these EV trip planners will even designate charging stops.
Closing Thoughts
As you can see, EVs can now travel around 250-350 miles. Add in the equally increasing charging speeds and EVs are nearly comparable to ICEVs. If charging speed is more of a concern for you, check out this article about which EVs can charge the fastest.
As technology advances, the range of EVs will only continue to improve. By 2025, it is estimated a typical EV will have a range of 300-400 miles. Evidently, the question will no longer be, “how far can an electric car go?” and instead will be “which electric car should I get?”.
If you are an individual who is interested in EVs but not quite sure which one is right for you, where you’ll charge, or how much tax credits and rebates you can claim, feel free to work with us as your personal EV consultant. Our products and services are uniquely customized to each individual’s budget, location, and vehicle needs.
Check out our most popular product, the EV Guide, for more information. For a small fee, you can see exactly how you can make the switch to electric. Get started today!
Hi there! I’m the founder and project manager at Charged Future: the EV charging consultancy. Charged Future helps businesses achieve their EV charging goals. Specifically, I serve as the project manager for your EV charging project, which can save you both time and money! Additionally, I can search and apply to all eligible rebate applications, which can typically cover a large portion of the project cost.
