Driving range is one of the biggest concerns for car shoppers considering an electric car. That’s because range anxiety, the concern that your electric car or SUV won’t have the battery life needed to complete a journey, is one very strong motivating factor. Like running out of gasoline in a conventional car, driving an EV that’s suddenly out of charge is no one’s idea of fun.
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With this in mind, we’ve gathered 11 electric cars currently on sale that offer the longest driving range. The vehicles vary in style and size, from luxurious SUVs and high-performance sports sedans to handy hatchbacks and practical crossovers. We start at the top with the car that delivers the best range per recharge, then work our way down.
All ranges are based on EPA-estimated figures but are purely estimates. Your range may vary depending on a number of factors, including weather, where you drive, driving style, occupancy and more.
Prices listed here are for the specific trim that delivers the best driving range. For some vehicles, such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Hyundai Kona EV, there’s only one powertrain available and all trims deliver identical range. In other cases, as with the Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf, there are sizable differences in driving range depending on the trim you choose. Any potential state or federal EV tax incentives were not factored into our pricing information.
Electric Cars with the Longest Range
1. 2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus: 391 miles
2. 2020 Tesla Model X Long Range Plus: 351 miles
3. 2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive: 322 miles
4. 2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range: 316 miles
5. 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV: 259 miles
6. 2020 Hyundai Kona Electric: 258 miles
7. 2020 Kia Niro Electric: 239 miles
8. 2020 Jaguar I-Pace: 234 miles
9. 2020 Nissan Leaf Plus: 226 miles
10. 2020 Audi E-Tron: 204 miles
11. 2020 Porsche Taycan 4S: 203 miles
2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus
Price: $74,990, including $1,200 destination charge
Maximum electric driving range: 391 miles
The Tesla Model S is a fast, luxurious and spacious electric-powered sedan. Since it burst onto the scene back in 2012, the Model S has transformed how people view electric cars. With sharp handling and acceleration to rival some of the world’s fastest sports cars, no one would dare to compare a Model S to an electric golf cart. In Long Range Plus format, the Model S returns an EPA-estimated 391 miles of driving range.
2020 Tesla Model X Long Range Plus
Price: $81,190, including $1,200 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 351 miles
Tesla takes the top four spots thanks in part to the 351 miles of range offered in the Model X crossover. Quirky features found in the Model X include a massive windshield that arcs over the front seats, rear “X-wing” doors that open skyward, and an available rear-facing, third-row seat (an option best reserved for small children who need a serious timeout). Come to think of it, the electric motors and lithium-ion battery pack are probably the most normal aspects of the extroverted Model X. The Performance model needs less than 3.0 seconds to sprint from 0-to-60 mph, but it’s the Long Range Plus variant that delivers the EPA-estimated 351 miles of driving range.
2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range
Price: $46,990, including $1,200 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 322 miles
It might be the little brother to the Model S in terms of overall size and price, but the Tesla Model 3 isn’t overshadowed when it comes to delivering plenty of range. The trim that delivers the most miles per charge is the available Long Range version, which starts at approximately $47,000. While the standard Model 3 delivers a useful 250 miles of range, the Long Range version ups this number to 322 miles. Inside, the dashboard is dominated by a 15-inch touchscreen. While it’s impressive, mastering the controls takes patience and can be confusing when on the move.
2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range
Price: $52,990, including $1,200 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 316 miles
Based on the same platform and sharing the same powertrain as the current Model 3 sedan, the Tesla Model Y SUV is a newcomer for the 2020 model year. Like the Model 3, the Model Y will offer quick steering reflexes and enough power to pin you into your seat under hard acceleration.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price: $37,495, including $875 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 259 miles
The Chevrolet Bolt EV is proof you don’t need to empty your savings account to get an electric car that delivers big when it comes to driving range. Capable of traveling an EPA-estimated 259 miles for every recharge, this five-door Chevy hatchback is fun to drive and has space for five onboard (though three adults would be pretty cozy in the backseat) and more than 16 cubic feet of trunk space behind the rear seatback. Downsides include a drab cabin with cheap-looking materials for a car in this price range.
2020 Hyundai Kona Electric
Price: $38,330, including $1,140 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 258 miles
Trailing the Bolt EV by only one mile of range, the Hyundai Kona Electric is a small sport-utility that places an emphasis on value. Standard equipment includes comfort features like heated front seats, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, automatic climate control and a 7-inch touchscreen. There is also a long list of standard active safety features, not to mention roughly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the backseat. While it’s not as nimble or punchy in a straight-line sprint as the Bolt EV, the Kona Electric is comfortable, quiet and offers more stretch-out space in its cabin. The Kona Electric is only available in select states, however, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.
2020 Kia Niro EV
Price: $40,210, including $1,120 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 239 miles
The Kia Niro EV is based on the same versatile platform as the Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUV. In electric-powered format, the Niro delivers a total of 201 horsepower; this makes for some peppy acceleration, a trait accentuated by the Niro EV’s direct steering and easy-to-drive nature. With a classy cabin that doesn’t look like it was built on a tight budget, plus a long list of standard comfort and safety features, the Niro EV occupies a unique niche in the EV market. Like the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Kia Niro EV is only available in select states.
2020 Jaguar I-Pace
Price: $70,875, including $1,025 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 234 miles
When you think of driving a Jaguar, chances are good an electric-powered SUV doesn’t immediately spring to mind. Granted, the I-Pace is a break from tradition for the British brand, but this electric sport-utility delivers far more than its 234 miles of driving range. To start, the shape is racy for a SUV; there’s more than a hint of sports car in the swept-back design. That holds true when you’re behind the wheel, too: The handling is sharp, the ride nicely controlled, and there’s plenty of power when you stomp the accelerator and get whisked away in near total silence. Only a recalcitrant and occasionally balky infotainment system spoils some of the fun.
2020 Nissan Leaf Plus
Price: $39,125, including $925 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 226 miles
For about a decade, the Nissan Leaf has been nudging electric cars into the mainstream. That hasn’t always been an easy task, especially considering EVs cost more and usually have less driving range than a conventional gas-powered car. Still, the latest generation of Nissan Leaf delivers more than double the range the original did back in 2011. This is the Leaf Plus version, mind you, not the standard Leaf that starts around $30,000 and has an EPA-estimated 149 miles of range. A roomy cabin, convenient hatchback and healthy list of standard features help to keep the Leaf current and up to date against EV rivals from Chevrolet, Tesla, Hyundai and Kia.
2019 Audi E-Tron
Price: $75,795, including $995 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 204 miles
The Audi E-Tron wraps its zero-emission hardware into an SUV body. The result is a smooth and luxurious sport-utility that coddles occupants in a world-class cabin. Loaded with tech touches, the E-Tron comes standard with heated and ventilated front seats, quad-zone climate control, 10.1-inch touchscreen, Bang & Olufsen audio system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. This last item is a 12.3-inch high-resolution screen that replaces the traditional gauges positioned directly in front of the driver. The only thing the E-Tron lacks is driving range — for this amount of money, 204 miles isn’t impressive — plus the fun-loving driving behavior found in rivals like the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model S. (The coupe-inspired 2020 Audi E-Tron Sportback has slightly more range of 218 miles and goes on sale in the summer.)
2020 Porsche Taycan 4S Performance Battery Plus
Price: $114,340, including $1,350 destination
Maximum electric driving range: 203 miles
When Porsche builds an electric sports sedan, you can expect the result will be special. The Taycan not only looks like a concept car that’s fresh from an auto show, it drives like a sports car that happens to conveniently have four doors attached to it. The balance of ride and handling is precise and what you expect from a car wearing a Porsche badge — not to mention one with a starting price of more than $100,000. There isn’t a vast difference in driving range among Taycan models, though it’s the least expensive 4S version (fitted with the Performance Battery Plus option package) that has the best range. The Taycan Turbo and Turbo S start at approximately $150,000 and $185,000, respectively, but deliver only 201 and 192 miles of total range.
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