Should range be the deciding factor in choosing your next EV?

When Electric Vehicles (EVs) first made their way onto UK roads in 2006, their restricted range (i.e. the distance a car can travel on a single charge) was a big factor for people choosing to make the switch to this technology. This coined the infamous phrase ‘range anxiety.’

Even in 2014, the average EV range was a mere 84 miles – a far cry from the average 300-mile range found in many EVs today. That’s a huge improvement, but should range really be the deciding factor on your next EV?

According to the Department for Transport’s most recent National Travel Survey from 2023, the average mileage driven by all drivers was 8,161 miles – that’s equivalent to 157 miles per week, or 22.3 miles per day.

It’s easy to assume that an EV must match the range of a petrol or diesel car to be considered viable for daily use, but when you look at the survey’s average mileages, the majority of EVs can comfortably manage this type of distance on a single weekly charge.

However, if you’re a high mileage driver, our top ten list of long range EVs reinforces that ‘range anxiety’ should now be a distant memory.

Many new EVs – such as the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 3 – are now available in long range variants, giving drivers that extra range they may need. An increasing number of family cars, like the Peugeot E-3008, Vauxhall Grandland and VW ID.7, are also offering a range of over 400 miles.

Another EV to look out for is the Mercedes CLA, due to arrive later this year as a huge competitor. This EV becomes the UKs longest ranging car with 492 miles and is a more compact and affordable option compared to the EQS.

But with a longer range comes some other considerations for drivers. If you’re only driving 20 miles a day, do you really need the Long Range battery – especially as this usually means larger batteries and therefore, a larger price tag and higher Benefit in Kind bill. However, it means fewer stops if you’re frequently doing long journeys and may be better for you if you can’t charge overnight at home. It’s an investment in additional convenience.

So, if you’re deciding whether an EV is right for you based on range alone make sure you crunch your own numbers first as The Department of Transport’s average mileage statistics suggest a large proportion of drivers can manage just fine with a smaller battery, affordable, EV and don’t need to be worrying about having a range of more than 200 miles.

EV technology is moving incredibly quickly and higher range cars are being launched every month. With that in mind, here is our current top 10 list of EVs with the longest range:

Mercedes-Benz EQS 481 miles