Longest range electric cars 2024
Ready to buy an electric car, but worried about how far it will go on a charge? Check out the longest range electric cars that can all cover more than 300 miles per top-up
Range anxiety has put many people off the idea of owning an electric car, but it’s a phenomenon that’s rapidly disappearing. The majority of electric cars available today can do more than 200 miles on a charge, with many capable of over 300 miles.
And as battery and charging technology evolves, things are only going to get better. Electric cars are getting cheaper with many of the longest range electric cars now available for a more sensible premium over petrol or diesel models than in the past.
Take into account, though, that the official range isn’t guaranteed – it’s a best-case scenario. Driving style, weather and traffic conditions will still affect how many miles your car will do to a full charge.
While cars that burn conventional fuels are normally more efficient when cruising and less economical in heavy traffic, the reverse is true of electric cars. They’re ideal in urban use, where small charges to the battery through kinetic energy and regenerative braking can extend their overall range.
The key to spotting a long-range car is to look at its kWh figures. These dictate the size of a battery. The larger the number, the longer a car’s range will be.
Below we’ve listed 10 of the longest range electric cars you can buy today. Most are suitable for family use, due to the batteries required for long ranges being too large to fit into a small car.
Longest range electric cars 2024
- Mercedes EQS
- Tesla Model S
- BMW i5
- Mercedes EQE
- Polestar 3
- Tesla Model 3
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Audi Q8 e-tron
- Skoda Enyaq
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
Driving range: Up to 452 miles
Best long-range electric car for those with deep pockets
Our pick: Mercedes EQS 450+ AMG Line Premium Plus
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The longest-range electric car, excluding sports cars and supercars, is the Mercedes EQS saloon – which is also available as an SUV offering a slightly reduced range, on account of its heavier bodywork.
Delivering up to 452 miles of driving range, it’s ideal for long-distance users and is designed for effortlessly covering motorway miles.
The downside is the price – the Mercedes EQS is the brand’s luxury flagship and whilst it’s a wonderful car with a strong image, amazing technology and high levels of standard equipment, it’s also a very expensive one at more than £125,000 new. As used models start to appear, it should become slightly more accessible.
Driving range: Up to 394 miles
Best long-range electric car for supreme performance
Our pick: Tesla Model S Dual Motor Performance Ludicrous AWD
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If one brand has lead the way among electric cars, it is undoubtedly Tesla. The Tesla Model S is the brands larger saloon that is both stupendously quick and very well-appointed. New Tesla Model S models are only left hand drive, so if you want a right hand drive, a used car is the way to go.
It’s a very desirable machine, not least because Tesla also has its own hyper-fast supercharging network allowing you to top up with up to 200 miles of range in less than 20 minutes.
It’s an expensive car, though. While cheaper than a Mercedes EQS, the desirability of the Tesla Model S coupled with its all-round usability means that even second-hand models, when they do appear, are pretty expensive to buy.
Driving range: Up to 387 miles
Best long-range electric car for great handling pedigree
Our pick: BMW i5 eDrive40
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The BMW i5 was one of the most hotly anticipated new electric cars ever when it arrived at the end of 2023, bringing the German firm’s trademark range of i-branded electric models into one of its mainstream core markets: that of the BMW 5 Series.
Just like the traditional upmarket saloon, it’s fabulous to drive and wonderfully comfortable, with excellent levels of tech and a beautifully finished cabin.
There are two main versions – the rear-wheel-drive BMW i5 eDrive40 with 340PS and the four-wheel-drive BMW i5 M60 xDrive M Performance with 601PS. The latter is a phenomenal car, but carries a six-figure price tag. The two-wheel-drive model offers the best range.
Driving range: Up to 380 miles
Best long-range electric car for aural excitement
Our pick:Mercedes EQE 300 AMG Line Premium Plus
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The Mercedes EQE is smaller than the Mercedes EQS, but also equipped with a less substantial battery pack. However, the 90.6kWh unit in this sporty large saloon allows a range of up to 380 miles if driven sensibly.
The difficulty is in doing so – the Mercedes EQE has phenomenal acceleration and its AMG Sound Experience function allows it to make old-school revving, popping and banging noises to deliver the AI equivalent of a high-performance driving experience. It’s strange but also strangely intoxicating.
Use it hard though and that range will drop to around 250 miles. But as a long distance car, the Mercedes EQE is well designed for effortless cruising.
Driving range: Up to 379 miles
Best long-range electric for design fans
Our pick: Polestar 3 Launch Edition Long Range Dual Motor
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Thanks to its high-capacity 111 kWh battery, the Polestar 3 has an impressive range of up to 379 miles, making it the longest-range large SUV on the market. It’s also a very fashionable car, so prices are strong – you won’t get any discounts on a new one and plentiful used examples won’t exist until mid-2024, as the model has only just hit the market.
It’s an impressive piece of kit – cheaper and smaller than a Tesla Model X, it’s more targeted at rivals such as the Audi Q8 e-tron and Volvo EX90, which shares its platform and is bound to be a huge hit when it arrives in showrooms.
It has a dual-motor four-wheel-drive system producing 490PS, with an optional performance pack that boosts the output to 517PS, but which impacts the overall range, bringing it down to 353 miles.
Driving range: Up to 374 miles
Best long-range electric car for affordable Tesla prestige
Our pick: Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor Long Range AWD
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The Tesla Model 3 has been a huge hit for the US brand, bringing its battery technology and charging network in range of a much broader audience, with pricing to rival models such as the BMW 3 Series and the electric Mercedes C-Class.
The Tesla Model 3 is a stylish, fast and desirable car, with a distinctive panoramic glass roof, five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and the best range yet for a compact saloon.
More examples are coming on to the used car market as it has been around for a few years, but they’re usually eagerly snapped up, so you’re unlikely to land yourself a major bargain.
Driving range: Up to 379 miles
Best long-range electric car for all-American excitement
Our pick: Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range
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It was a brave move to use the iconic and legendary Ford Mustang name on a family-sized five-door electric car. But if you’re going to make a bold statement, then you may as well do it in a way that’s going to get noticed – and the Ford Mustang Mach-E certainly got its fair share of attention when it made its debut in 2021.
Fast forward to now and Ford’s electric family car has evolved even further, with a range of up to 379 miles on Extended Range models and a performance package to rival a much more expensive Tesla.
There’s a choice of rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive and two different batteries – a 70kWh option with a 280-mile range or a 91.5kWh one that will travel 372 miles.
Driving range: Up to 343 miles
Best long-range electric car for build quality and safety
Our pick: Audi Q8 e-tron 115kWh
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The largest member of the Audi e-tron family is also the one with the biggest range, capable of up to 343 miles on a single charge.
Equipped with a 413PS motor and a choice of 98kWh and 115kWh battery packs, it’s the latter that offers the greater distance per charge.
It’s a premium choice – not cheap new and expected to retain its value very well when used models come on to the market, so bargains won’t abound. But it’s an extremely competent, comfortable and superbly equipped car brimming with high levels of technology and class-leading safety equipment.
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Driving range: Up to 339 miles
Best long-range electric car for value for money
Our pick: Skoda Enyaq 82kWh
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Crossing the boundaries between estate car and SUV, the Skoda Enyaq is a superb family car with stylish looks and levels of build quality that are just as good as any other vehicle in the Volkswagen Group family.
It’s also relatively affordable, with list prices starting below £40,000. The Skoda Enyaq has a choice of 58kWh or 82kWh battery packs.
While the smaller capacity one is more affordable, it will do less than 300 miles per charge. The 82kWh models will reach up to 339 miles on a charge and are better suited to high-mileage drivers. Yet they still represent excellent value compared with the majority of rivals.
Driving range: Up to 338 miles
Best long-range electric car for award-winning design
Our pick: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Premium RWD
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The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is relativelty new to the market and has already won a plethora of awards. Based on the already highly desirable Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is lower, lighter and sleeker which gives it a little bit more range – up to 338 miles on a full charge.
It’s a striking and stylish car that has already been crowned 2023 World Electric Vehicle, World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year.
With a realistic driving range of around 300 miles and the ability to charge up to 80% in just 20 minutes using fast-charging technology, it’s an instant hit and also represents excellent value for money for a vehicle of its size, equipment, technology and capability. It’s sure to be hot property as a used car, too.