Hello and welcome back to the channel as we all try to clear our heads and settle into 2022. Now, I don’t know about you but I spend way too much time looking around the internet for EVs that I’d love to buy but just can’t afford. And for me, range is king!
But we haven’t just pulled up a list of the biggest batteries or the longest WLTP or EPA estimates, we’ve factored in functionality and desirability also. We can’t imagine everyone’s going to agree…so let us know what you think in the comments below!
5th - BMW i4 eDrive40
There are plenty of people out there that have been driving luxury German sedans and coupes for years. And some of them are itching to go electric. But for a lot of people in that market, they just don’t like Tesla and the Polestar just doesn’t do it for them. So we’ve plumped for the BMW i4 which really seems to hit a nerve in the EV world.
It has an 84kWh battery, of which 80.7kWh is usable. The WLTP rated range is about 350 miles, but we think it’s a solid 300-mile range car in most conditions. And if you’re treating it nicely just pottering around in mild conditions then it could definitely clear the 400-mile mark.
With peak charging of 200kW on a DC charger, the i4 will get you back on the road quickly enough. If you want the performance, you can spend the extra bit for the M50 variant. But if it’s range you’re after then stick with the eDrive40 and don’t go speccing up the wheels!
4th - Porsche Taycan GTS
As we said at the outset, we brought a few factors into the equation today…and one of those is desirability. And to that end, we just had to put in the Porsche Taycan! We wanted the Audi on the list also, but considering the similarities, we decided to just pick one.
We are talking range today so that leads us to choose the Taycan GTS that is coming out this year. The Taycan Plus will get you the same range for about a third less money, but it’s the GTS that we want!
An 83.7kWh battery will be good, we think, for 300 miles range in the real world. But the Taycan actually has a gross battery 93.4kWh. It’s able to charge to 100% faster, maintaining a really good charging curve, but we would have liked to see them give us access to another 3 or 4kWh for that added bit of range.
With DC charge speeds peaking at 262kW, it’ll hold around 200kW to 60%. Factor in the comfort and luxury and you’ve got yourself an amazing distance EV, especially if you’re hitting the back roads and mountain passes! Wow, just imagine that!
3rd - Mercedes EQS 450+
How could we make this list and not have the Mercedes in there?! Now, the German manufacturer has a mixed bag on offer at the moment. From some highly inefficient, big SUVs that never had a chance of making this list…to the likes of what we’ve plumped for today, the EQS 450+.
It’s not the fastest in the line-up so if you wanted that extra bit of power then you’d go for the AMG variant. But for us, we think the loss of range doesn’t justify the speed for a long road trip. A 0-62mph sprint in 6.2 seconds is plenty fast for us anyway!
The EQS 450+ has a usable 107.8kWh battery. That’s a whopper, and a good 10% bigger than the Tesla. We reckon the EQS is good for a solid 400 miles, maybe hitting close to 500 miles in optimal conditions. So it’s an absolute highway beast! It’s got pretty much the lowest drag coefficient of any car produced at scale, only beaten by the long-gone EV1.
Oh man, even as I talk about it now, I don’t know how we put it in third…just think of the luxury and comfort on a road trip across Europe or North America!
2nd - Lucid Air
While we’re talking big, expensive sedans we just had to get the Lucid in there. The Grand Touring variant has a usable battery of about 105kWh, just shy of the Mercedes and about 10% larger than the Tesla.
Although the EPA figure came in at 520 miles, you’re probably not going to see a number like that in general. Even with a big battery and efficient motor…the Lucid will still weigh well over 2 tons! We think just under 400 miles is a good and realistic figure for the car, maybe eeking out 500 to 550 miles in good conditions.
Although the Lucid will charge faster than the Model S if you can find a reliable 350kW charger, it doesn’t have access to the incredible Supercharger network. Now with a range that high, and access to a few Electrify America or IONITY chargers you’re not going to have an issue. But for us, that’s the main reason it comes in second.
1st - Tesla Model S Long Range
It’d be easy to just pick every Tesla variant to go on the list. But since we’re looking for the Ultimate Long Range EV, we’ve plumped for the Model S. It’s been around for nearly a decade and has proven itself hundreds of millions of miles over.
What tends to set Teslas apart is their efficiency, as opposed to just slapping a big 200kWh battery in for maximum range. The Model S has a usable capacity of just under 100kWh. With one of the lowest drag coefficients out there, you get great efficiency at highway speeds.
Of course, you’ll get different range depending on driving style and conditions, but the Model S is a solid 350 to 400-mile car. Now you could see that drop to 300 miles in bad conditions, but if you’re really careful, you could get 500 miles out of a charge. Factor in the space in the back, that effortless acceleration, and the incredible Supercharging network, and you have what we think is the Ultimate Long Range EV on the market!
Summary
We’re well over time now folks so best wrap it up!
Wow, some incredible cars in there today! And it’s just so hard to pick a list like that. We’re pretty sure that everyone watching this is going to have a different opinion. Heck, we changed our minds a few times even drafting the list!
But we tried to be balanced…to consider various countries, charging networks, price…and lots of factors like that!
End
It’s time for you to have your say!
Which choices did you agree with, and which cars would you like to see on the list?
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