EV Range Test: Top Electric Cars for Long-Distance Driving

Remember when "range anxiety" and "electric vehicle" went together like peanut butter and jelly? Those days aren't completely behind us, but man, have things changed. While you can still find some EVs barely cracking 100 miles of range (seriously, who's buying those?), most modern battery-powered rides will easily take you beyond 200 miles on a full charge.

Here's the thing though - those EPA estimates splashed across window stickers? They're about as reliable as your friend who says "I'll be there in five minutes." That's exactly why the team from Car&Driver developed its 75-mph highway range test. It's pretty straightforward: they charge these babies to 100%, hit the highway at 75 mph (you know, actual highway speed), and drive until they're running on fumes... or electrons, I guess.

Looking to jump into the EV game without giving up your road trip addiction? Let's talk about the long-distance champions that impressed the most.

HOW THEY'RE TESTED

They fully charge each vehicle, set the cruise control to 75 mph, and drive on a set route with normal highway traffic until the battery is effectively depleted. They keep climate control set to 72 degrees, and they don't pull any hypermiling tricks or special techniques. Just normal driving like you'd do in the real world.

1. Lucid Air: 410 Miles

Talk about a knockout first impression. The Lucid Air Grand Touring that was tested back in 2022 crushed our range test with an incredible 410 miles. With 819 horsepower on tap, this thing isn't just efficient - it's also ridiculously quick.

If the Grand Touring's price tag makes you choke on your coffee, the more affordable Pure trim might be more your speed. The all-wheel-drive 480-hp Air Pure still managed a very respectable 310 miles in our testing - nothing to sneeze at, though it's 100 miles shy of its fancier sibling.

For 2024, Lucid ditched the all-wheel-drive Pure, leaving just the 430-hp rear-drive version. Despite sharing the same 92.0-kWh battery pack as last year's dual-motor Pure (the Grand Touring rocks a bigger 112.0-kWh unit), the single-motor Pure only delivered 300 miles in our hands. Still impressive, just not quite as mind-blowing.

2. Chevrolet Silverado EV: 400 Miles (Tie)

Ford might've beaten Chevy to the punch with electric pickups, but Chevy's getting the last laugh in the range department - at least for now. Packing the same massive 205.0-kWh battery as the GMC Hummer EV pickup, the less brick-like Silverado squeezed out a solid 400 miles in our highway test.

It charges pretty quickly too. The 754-hp dual-motor RST tested averaged charging speeds of 198 kW when juicing up from 10 to 90 percent. Of course, "fast" is relative - even at that impressive rate, it still took 58 minutes to go from 10 to 90 percent. Maybe just enough time to grab lunch and stretch your legs.

2. Mercedes EQS: 400 Miles (Tie)

If you want maximum range from a Mercedes EV, the EQS450+ is your ticket. Back in 2022, it was managed to extract exactly 400 miles from the entry-level rear-drive version.

The dual-motor EQS580 4Matic isn't too shabby either, hitting 350 miles in our testing. Even the bonkers AMG version delivered a solid 290 miles despite its performance focus. Mercedes clearly knows what they're doing in the battery department.

3. Mercedes EQS SUV: 340 Miles

As you might guess from the name, the EQS SUV is essentially the SUV version of the EQS sedan. It shares the same blob-like exterior styling and quirky infotainment setup - love it or hate it.

While it doesn't go quite as far as its sleeker sibling, the EQS SUV still crushes the competition. The EQS450+ SUV tested went 340 miles on a full charge, making it the range champion among battery-powered SUVs with an available third row.

4. Tesla Model S: 320 Miles

These days Tesla only offers the Model S in Long Range and Plaid versions, but back in the day, they had a variant called Long Range Plus. Despite the "Plus" in its name, it was basically replaced by today's Long Range model. Both claim EPA ranges north of 400 miles.

In our real-world test, however, the Long Range Plus fell about 80 miles short of the government's rosy estimate. Still, 320 miles is nothing to complain about. The ludicrously quick Model S Plaid tested hit a respectable 280 miles, which isn't too shabby considering its focus on face-melting acceleration.

5. BMW i7: 310 Miles (Tie)

BMW offers the i7 in three flavors (eDrive50, xDrive60, and M70), but so far only the mid-level model was ran  through the range test. Its 310-mile result might be 40 miles less than its closest competitor, the Mercedes EQS580 4Matic, but let's be real - it's still more than enough range for most luxury buyers.

Also 5. Tesla Model 3: 310 Miles (Tie)

Say what you want about Elon, but Tesla builds a killer small electric sedan. The Model 3 Long Range impressed us enough to earn a spot on our 2025 10Best Cars list. At $43,880, the rear-drive Long Range is the most affordable Model 3 you can buy. It's also the range king, delivering 310 miles in our testing.

The pricier, more powerful dual-motor Model 3 Performance sacrifices some range for speed, managing a still-decent 260 miles.

6. Hyundai Ioniq 6: 300 Miles

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 might have a reasonable starting price, but don't expect the base SE Standard Range trim to take you 300 miles. To match our test results, you'll need at least the SE (unofficially called the SE Long Range), which swaps the standard 58.0-kWh battery for a beefier 77.4-kWh pack.

The bigger battery also comes with a more powerful rear motor making 225 horsepower (76 more than the Standard Range), and you can opt for all-wheel drive too. The 320-hp dual-motor AWD version is quicker off the line, but it pays for that with reduced range - they got 220 miles from the AWD model in our testing.

7. BMW iX: 290 Miles (Tie)

If you're willing to trade the sleeker shape of a sedan for a boxier SUV body, the BMW iX is a solid choice. While its exterior styling is... controversial (to put it politely), the interior feels every bit as premium as the nearly six-figure price tag suggests.

The 516-hp xDrive50 version tested delivered a respectable 290 miles on a charge. BMW also offers an even more powerful M60 variant with 610 hp, but they haven't put that one through our range test yet. Given its performance focus, we'd be surprised if it beats the xDrive50's range.

Also 7. Fisker Ocean: 290 Miles (Tie)

If only the rest of the Fisker Ocean was as impressive as its range, maybe the company would still be in business. Although Fisker has folded, its memory lives on in our list thanks to the 290-mile range recorded from an all-wheel-drive Ocean One.

Again 7. GMC Hummer EV Pickup: 290 Miles (Tie)

The GMC Hummer EV pickup proves that correlation doesn't equal causation. Yes, this behemoth traveled an impressive 290 miles in our test, but that doesn't mean it did so efficiently.

The secret sauce is its absolutely massive battery pack. The Edition 1 pickup tested in 2022 has a 205.0-kilowatt-hour capacity - more than double the size of the 300-mile Lucid Air's standard pack. It needs every bit of that juice to haul its enormous weight around.

8. Genesis Electrified G80: 280 Miles (Tie)

Sometimes converting a gas car to electric feels about as natural as putting socks on a rooster. Other times, it goes so smoothly you barely notice. The Genesis Electrified G80 falls into the second category.

Besides slightly less headroom (thanks to the underfloor battery) and reduced trunk space, it keeps pretty much everything we love about the gas G80. The fact that it managed 280 miles of range in our testing just makes it that much more appealing.

8. Porsche Taycan: 280 Miles (Tie)

Here's a fun fact: the Porsche Taycan with the best real-world range is actually one of the least expensive versions. Not THE cheapest, mind you - to match our 280-mile result, you need the rear-drive Taycan equipped with the optional Performance Battery Plus.

Any other Taycan trim might give you more power, but in our testing, none has beaten the base car with the big battery. Sometimes less really is more.

8. Rivian R1T: 280 Miles (Tie)

Got a pre-2025 model year Rivian R1T with either the quad-motor setup or the Dual-Motor Performance configuration and the "Large" battery pack? With the right wheel and tire combo, you're looking at roughly 280 miles of real-world range at 75 mph.

That's exactly what the testers got from both an 835-hp 2022 R1T Launch Edition and a 665-hp 2023 R1T Dual-Motor Performance in our testing.

The Long-Distance Champs: A Quick Recap

1. Lucid Air: 410 Miles
2. Chevrolet Silverado EV: 400 Miles (Tie)
3. Mercedes EQS: 400 Miles (Tie)
4. Mercedes EQS SUV: 340 Miles
5. Tesla Model S: 320 Miles
6. BMW i7: 310 Miles (Tie)
7. Tesla Model 3: 310 Miles (Tie)
8. Hyundai Ioniq 6: 300 Miles
9. BMW iX: 290 Miles (Tie)
10. Fisker Ocean: 290 Miles (Tie)
11. GMC Hummer EV Pickup: 290 Miles (Tie)
12. Genesis Electrified G80: 280 Miles (Tie)
13. Porsche Taycan: 280 Miles (Tie)
14. Rivian R1T: 280 Miles (Tie)