The Tesla Model S sets a new record, and Mercedes’ entry-level electric sedan does not disappoint. The number of models offering a winter range of 400 km (250 miles) or more keeps growing.
BYD Han. Photo: BYDA lot of useful data on EVs comes from Norway, where the vast majority of new cars and SUVs sold are all-electric. The Norwegian car association NAF regularly performs range tests of electric vehicles, usually twice a year – winter and summer.
And the results from the latest round of testing – winter 2023 – are just in.
First some commentary about this year’s results, then the results.
Sedans score top spots
This year’s theme seems to be “electric sedans” – although maybe it seems so because it was mostly sedans that scored top results (there is also a lot of crossovers further down the list).
To me, one of the most interesting models tested was the Mercedes EQE 300 sedan. An entry-level variant of the EQE (which is the EQS’ smaller sibling), and – sort of – an electric Mercedes for the masses.
There are more Chinese vehicles than usual, including two long-range sedans: the Nio ET7 and the BYD Han. Finally, a range test of the BYD Han performed in Europe.
There is also the BYD Atto 3 crossover, the MG4 crossover/hatchback, and the JAC e-S4. All of them much more pricey than in the Chinese market, all of them still cheap by European standards.
The Model 3 was not tested, so far, this year, but it was tested a year ago. Also, there are also no fresh results for the Ford Mustang Mach-E – only those from two years ago when the Mach-E scored great results but the temperatures were higher.
Cold weather – but not extremely cold weather
To me, it looks like this test was closer to the best-case scenario than to the worst-case scenario of winter driving. First, because it was conducted at relatively low speeds: no driving at Autobahn speeds (there are no places in Norway where such speeds would be legal anyway), and lots of city driving and country road driving in the mix.
Second, the temperatures. These tests were done in Norway, in the winter. But this does not mean they were done in the extreme cold.
Winters in Norway are not as cold as most people imagine.
In those parts of Norway where most of the population lives, winters are actually quite mild. Especially compared to certain parts of North America: drivers in North Dakota, Quebec or Canadian Prairies – and that includes major cities there – will usually experience winter temperatures much colder than in the Norwegian capital Oslo.
The temperatures during those Norwegian winter tests – they include driving in the mountains, so at higher altitudes – are normally from 0 °C to -10 °C (that is 32 °F to 14 °F). And a year ago, they were within this range. This time, it was colder than usual, from 0 °C to – reportedly, at one point – about -19 °C; that is 32 °F to -2 °F.
As I understand those vehicles were driven until they ran out of power completely, and not just until they reported zero range or 0% battery remaining.
The results
I added the results for vehicles tested a year ago (winter 2022), for comparison. Those old results are marked with * and written in italics.
| 1. Tesla Model S Standard | 530 km | 329 miles |
| 2. Tesla Model 3 LR* | 521 km | 324 miles |
| 3. Mercedes EQS 580 4MATIC* | 513 km | 319 miles |
| 4. BMW iX xDrive50* | 503 km | 313 miles |
| 5. Tesla Model Y LR AWD* | 451 km | 280 miles |
| 6. Tesla Model X Plaid | 444 km | 276 miles |
| 7. Volkswagen ID.3 Pro S* | 435 km | 270 miles |
| 8. BMW i4 eDrive40 | 434 km | 270 miles |
| 8. NIO ET7 | 434 km | 270 miles |
| 10. Kia EV6 RWD* | 429 km | 267 miles |
| 11. Kia EV6 AWD* | 428 km | 266 miles |
| 12. NIO ES8* | 425 km | 264 miles |
| 13. BMW i7 xDrive60 | 424 km | 263 miles |
| 14. Volkswagen ID.4* | 414 km | 257 miles |
| 15. Mercedes EQE 300 | 409 km | 254 miles |
| 16. Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD* | 408 km | 254 miles |
| 17. BMW i4 M50* | 406 km | 252 miles |
| 17. BYD Han | 406 km | 252 miles |
| 19. Skoda Enyaq iV80X* (actually iV80?) | 403 km | 250 miles |
| 20. Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo* | 402 km | 250 miles |
| 21. Nissan Ariya 2WD | 400 km | 249 miles |
| 21. Polestar 2 LR Single Motor* | 400 km | 249 miles |
| 23. Audi e-tron GT* | 392 km | 244 miles |
| 24. Voyah Free | 391 km | 243 miles |
| 25. Hongqi E-HS9 prototype 120 kWh | 389 km | 242 miles |
| 26. XPeng P7* | 383 km | 238 miles |
| 27. Audi Q4 e-tron 40* | 380 km | 236 miles |
| 28. Volkswagen ID.5 Pro | 378 km | 235 miles |
| 29. Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD* | 369 km | 229 miles |
| 30. BYD Tang* | 356 km | 221 miles |
| 31. Volkswagen ID.4 GTX* | 353 km | 219 miles |
| 32. MG ZS Long Range | 352 km | 219 miles |
| 33. Kia EV6 GT | 349 km | 217 miles |
| 34. Audi Q4 e-tron 50 quattro* | 347 km | 216 miles |
| 34. Skoda Enyaq iV80* (actually iV80X?) | 347 km | 216 miles |
| 36. Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus* | 346 km | 215 miles |
| 37. Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD | 345 km | 214 miles |
| 38. Kia Niro EV | 343 km | 213 miles |
| 39. Polestar 2 LR AWD* | 340 km | 211 miles |
| 40. Cupra Born* | 339 km | 211 miles |
| 41. MG 4 | 338 km | 210 miles |
| 41. Skoda Enyaq Coupe RS | 338 km | 210 miles |
| 43. BMW iX1 | 337 km | 209 miles |
| 43. Tesla Model Y RWD | 337 km | 209 miles |
| 45. Mercedes EQB 250 | 334 km | 208 miles |
| 46. Volvo C40 Recharge* | 333 km | 207 miles |
| 47. Mercedes EQA 250* | 331 km | 206 miles |
| 48. JAC e-JS4 | 323 km | 201 miles |
| 48. Toyota BZ4X FWD | 323 km | 201 miles |
| 50. Renault Megane E-Tech Electric | 318 km | 198 miles |
| 51. Maxus Euniq6 | 317 km | 197 miles |
| 52. Mercedes EQB 350 4MATIC* | 315 km | 196 miles |
| 53. MG 5 | 313 km | 194 miles |
| 54. BYD Atto 3 | 311 km | 193 miles |
| 55. Volkswagen ID.BUZZ | 310 km | 193 miles |
| 56. BMW iX xDrive40* | 309 km | 192 miles |
| 57. MG Marvel R | 308 km | 191 miles |
| 58. Hongqi E-HS9 | 303 km | 188 miles |
| 59. Opel Mokka-e* | 263 km | 163 miles |
| 60. Peugeot e-2008* | 228 km | 142 miles |
I wonder if the results for the Skoda Enyaq iV80X (AWD) and the Skoda Enyaq iV80 (RWD) were inadvertently swapped, because now it looks like the AWD variant has much better range than RWD (you would expect the opposite).
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