EV Efficiency: Range’s Ignored Stepsister — While We Ignore MPGe

EV Efficiency

Most commonly any talk about EVs is about range. And while that’s certainly important, we want to shift the focus to fuel efficiency. And yes, there is such a thing! Click here for charging speed information.

The industry talks about kilowatts used per 100 miles, which is just so far from anyone’s experience and difficult to truly understand, unless maybe you’re an electrical engineer.

We use miles per gallon when talking about internal combustion engine or ICE cars, so how about miles per kilowatt?

We offer this as part of our continuing efforts to simplify the latest in automotive technology as much as possible. And yes, we in turn are choosing to ignore miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe). It is a tortured stat meant to compare EVs to vehicles run on liquid fuels. It will be extinct soon enough.

The chart below is a translation primarily but not exclusively of work from ev-database.org, and I’ve linked their chart here. It’s in kilometers and the twisty kW per 100. I did a video as well that is also posted below, but here can be updated easily as improvements are made and new models are introduced. Note that our chart focuses on EVs available in North America while ev-database goes world wide and that the it can be expanded to show all entries.

Manufacturer	Model	Battery (kWh)	Range (mi)	Miles per kW (m/kW)	Fleet Ave. m/kW
Renault
	R5	52 kWh	249	4.8	4.8
Lucid
	Air Pure / Touring	88	336-348	3.8-4.0	3.8
	Air Dream	112	405-419	3.6-3.7
Tesla
	Model 3	58	252	4.3	3.7
	“	75	286-301	3.8-4.0
	Model S	95	348-357	3.7-3.8
	Model Y	58	218	3.8
	“	75	258-270	3.4-3.6
	Model X	95	283-295	3.0-3.1
Hyundai
	Ioniq 6	54	227	4.2	3.7
	“	74	273-308	3.7-4.2
	Kona	48	186	3.9
	“	65	248	3.8
	Ioniq 5	54	183	3.4
	“	74	239-242	3.2-3.3
Lexus
	RZ300e	71	266	3.7	3.6
	RZ450e	63	200	3.5
Volkswagen
	ID.7	86	323	3.8	3.5
	ID.7	77	292	3.8
	ID.4	52	177	3.4
	ID.4	77	249-255	3.2-3.3
Honda
	Prologue	85	273-296	3.2-3.5	3.4
BMW
	i4	81	280-320	3.5-4.0	3.4
	“	67	267	4.0
	i5	81	264-295	3.3-3.6
	iX	65	230-236	3.5
	“	71-74	224-239	3.2
	i7	102	314-323	3.1-3.2
	iX	105	301-314	2.9-3.0
Polestar
	4	94	348-372	3.7-4.0	3.4
	2	78	255-273	3.3-3.5
	3	107	292-305	2.7-2.9
Chevrolet
	Bolt	65	259	4.0	3.4
	Bolt EUV	65	247	3.8
	Silverado	200	450	2.3
Kia
	Niro	65	239	3.7	3.3
	e-Soul	39	143	3.7
	“	64	230	3.6
	EV6	74	224-255	3.0-3.5
	“	54	190	-3.5
	EV9	100	280-286	2.8-2.9
Nissan
	Leaf	39	146	3.7	3.3
	Leaf e+	59	211	3.6
	Ariya	63	208	3.3
	“	87	252-280	2.9-3.2
Porsche
	Taycan models	84	236-286	2.8-3.4	3.3
	“	71	230-236	3.2-3.3
	Macan	100	310-381	3.1-3.8
Genesis
	G80	83	274	3.3	3.2
	GV60	74	227-242	3.1-3.3
	GV70	74	218	2.9
Volvo
	EX30	49	174	3.6	3.2
	“	64	224-230	3.5-3.6
	C40	66	221	3.4
	“	79	249-261	3.2-3.3
	XC40	66	214	3.2
	“	79	242-252	3.1-3.2
	EX90	107	280-289	2.6-2.7
Lotus
	Eletre	112	354	3.2	3.2
Audi
	Q4 e-tron	52	239-264	3.4-3.5	3.1
	“	77	177-183	3.1-3.4
	e-tron GT	85	252-261	3.0-3.1
	Q8 e-tron	89	261-277	2.9-3.1
	“	106	283-326	2.7-3.1
Fisker
	Ocean	105	326	3.1	3.1
	“	75	236	3.1
Acura
	ZDX	102	288-325	2.8-3.2	3.0
Mercedes
	EQS Sedans	108	336-395	3.1-3.7	2.9
	EQS SUVs	108	301-311	2.8-2.9
	G-Wagon	116	250	2.2
Ford
	Mach-e	91	264-298	2.9-3.3	2.9
	“	70	233	3.3
	Lightning	98	230	2.4
	“	131	320	2.4
Vinfast
	VF 8	88	264	3.0	2.8
	VF 9	123	323	2.6
Rolls Royce
	Spectra	102	260	2.6	2.6

The Rankings

So, I’ve ranked manufacturers by efficiency, based on the fleet average miles per kW. This is exactly what we’re used to using in ICE vehicles — fleet average miles per gallon. The miles/kW figures are derived simply by taking a vehicles range and dividing by the battery’s kWh size. Note that the numbers are rather small, which may be what drives the use of kilowatts per 100 miles, but they are still very telling.

Few models reach or exceed an efficiency of 4 miles per kilowatt. Further, those numbers are nearly all associated with smaller models and often with smaller batteries! For instance, the industry leader is Tesla’s Model 3 with the 58 kWh battery! A smaller battery weighs less and is thus more efficient, while lacking some range. The higher range Model 3 features a 75 kW battery.

*In fact a May, 2024 update finds a Renault R5, available only in Europe, a small car with a small battery, comes in at 4.8 m/kW! It now leads the list!

Overall, Lucid, Tesla and Hyundai lead with the most efficient fleets. Oddly, Kia in particular and Genesis as well fall short of their Hyundai cousins. Kia’s smaller vehicles should have it neck and neck with Hyundai, who’s offerings tend to be smaller as well.

Bigger batteries, while offering more range generally, are not a guarantee. Note that Vinfast’s VF 9 models holds a whopping 123 kWh battery, but only 323 miles in range and lands at the bottom of our list at 2.6 miles per kilowatt. This is a full 40% less efficient than the 58 kWh Tesla Model 3.

Speaking of big batteries, battery power trains are already heavier than their ICE counterparts. For example the Ford F150 Lightning weighs in at 2500 lbs more than the gas powered version. The battery alone in the upcoming Hummer is said to weigh 2900 lbs.

The hyphenated ranges and efficiencies are identical models most often with single vs dual motors. Single motor variants are always more efficient. In some cases there are adjustments that up the horse power as well, which then cuts into efficiency.

Note who’s missing from this list: Toyota/Lexus (since added)! Honda/Acura (since added). Mazda. Subaru (missed this one)! Stellantis (at work in Europe). Even those we’ve added remain well behind a changing landscape…

So we’ll keep an eye on that landscape. Expect to see battery chemistries get more efficient and to see weight reductions, also adding efficiency.

We also expect to see faster and faster charge rates — which is also an upcoming topic.

Updates:

• 8/21/23, Acura introduces a ZDX EV, but comes in near the bottom. Big battery, low average efficiency.
• 12/21/23, Rolls Royce Spectra added. Also a big battery and landed at the very bottom of the list…
• 1/21/24,  Two Lexus models added. Just above the middle on the list.
• 2/3/24,  Porsche Macan added, which moved the brand average from 3.2 to 3.3 m/kW.
• 5/21/24,  Renault R5, available only in Europe, a small car with a small battery, comes in at 4.8 m/kW!
• 5/21/24, Honda intros the Prologue with an 85 kWh battery and nearly 300 miles of range.
• 5/22/25, the Mercedes adds the G-Wagon and drops fleet efficiency from 3.1 to 2.9.

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