Consumer Reports Says Nearly Half Of EVs Tested Fall Short Of EPA Range Estimates

Electric vehicle range isn’t an exact science. Figures depend highly on road, weather, and driving conditions, with a laundry list of other factors that could affect the mileage in between. If you look over the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) guidelines for how it determines range, there are many qualifiers. That said, some EVs are still missing the mark.

Consumer Reports conducted a 70-mile-per-hour highway test that consisted of fully charged vehicles with anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 miles on the odometer, with outside temperatures hovering around 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the time of testing. Even in ideal conditions like these, nearly half of the 22 EVs fell short of their EPA range estimates.

Models from Ford, Lucid, and Tesla were among the guiltiest parties. The Model S fell 39 miles short of its 405-mile estimate and the Lucid Air failed by 40 miles. The worst offender of the group was the F-150 Lightning, which only achieved 270 miles instead of its 320-mile EPA rating.

Other EVs from Audi, Hyundai, Genesis, Nissan, and Kia fell short of their EPA ratings as well, but all of those vehicles by fewer than 20 miles. The Nissan Ariya, for example, was only four miles short of its EPA rating, while the Ioniq 6 was just five miles short.

But it wasn’t all bad. BMW’s EVs exceeded their EPA ratings – by a lot. The i4 was 47 miles better than its estimate while the iX was 46 miles better. The most successful of the group was the Mercedes-Benz EQE, which drove for 332 miles. That’s 72 miles better than its estimated EPA range.

Certain vehicles from brands like Chevrolet, Nissan, Polestar, Tesla, and Rivian aren’t represented in this test, CR notes, because they did not meet the criteria for testing. You can see the full list of cars – and how they faired – below.