Electric Vehicles: UFC Que Choisir Denounces False Range Claims
This page is translated from the original post "Voitures électriques : UFC Que Choisir dénonce des autonomies mensongères" in French.
- 14/03/2023 17:00
From 25 to 157 km gap between theory and reality, the UFC Que Choisir association states that the range differences of electric cars also vary greatly from one model to another.
When purchasing an electric car, it comes with a so-called “WLTP” range. This is a standard for all of Europe, with a theoretical protocol that attempts to approximate reality. The distance traveled on a single battery charge is thus theoretical, as it applies to a specific route. It is therefore normal for ranges to vary between this WLTP number and what you see on your dashboard. However, the differences between theory and reality seem much larger, according to UFC Que Choisir.
A train of the future still under study
The organization tested 20 models of electric cars from different brands. The discrepancy is striking, ranging from 10% to 33%! The most poorly performing is the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX, the most powerful version of the electric SUV. From 467 km WLTP theoretically, the practical range would only be 311 km. When planning your holiday trip, this can have a significant impact!
Even the efficient Tesla Model Y is criticized with a 27% reduction in range, that is 371 km versus 507 km according to WLTP. Conversely, Korean models stand out. The Hyundai Kona Electric only admits a loss of 9.9%, that is 436 km versus 484 km announced, and the more luxurious Kia EV6 covers 470 km versus 528 km WLTP (-11%).
However, UFC Que Choisir does not specify the driving conditions for the different tests of electric cars. Are they tested on the same routes? Additionally, temperature variations can explain surprising differences. Notably, three models with the same motors and batteries—the Peugeot e-2008, Citroën ë-C4, and Opel Combo-e—show differences of 22.4%, 27.2%, and 20.7% respectively.
What does Mobiwisy think about electric vehicle ranges?
Yes, at Mobiwisy we have also driven the same cars as UFC Que Choisir. To be honest, not all of them followed the same route, and it’s impossible to drive at the same temperature all year round. We are very transparent about this in every report.
Nonetheless, let’s share our figures, starting with the Peugeot e-208, France’s top-selling electric car. Listed with a 362 km range, it delivered around 300 km in warm weather on a mixed route (highway, road, city). The Dacia Spring showed 225 to 230 km on a mix of road and city at 15°C. Finally, the Ford Mustang Mach-E easily exceeded 400 km on the highway and 500 km with an average of 90 km/h, in ideal weather (20°C). Lastly, we’re close to the association’s findings on the Fiat 500, with about 250 km of range against 300 km WLTP.
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