Range on the road is up to 30 percent below the manufacturer’s specifications
This message has been corrected and recast in message OTS_20240313_OTS0077
Vienna (OTS) – Twice a year the NAF – the Norwegian partner club of the ÖAMTC – invites you to the “El Prix”. This is the world’s largest range and charging test for electric cars. This time, 23 current electric cars, some of which are not yet available in Austria, were tested in practice. “We looked at whether and to what extent the actual range deviates from the manufacturer’s specifications. We drove until the battery was completely empty,” explains Florian Merker, who was on site for the ÖAMTC at the current winter test. In total, over 1,000 meters of altitude were overcome in Norway, and the outside temperature was between -5 and -10 degrees Celsius – so the results are definitely relevant to Austrian conditions.
The most important findings from the test: While the deviations from the WLTP are largely negligible in moderate summer temperatures (with some cars you can even go further than stated by the manufacturer), in extreme cases you have to expect a range of over 30 percent less in winter. The behavior of individual vehicles can vary greatly. The ÖAMTC expert gives two examples: “According to the WLTP, the XPeng G9 has a range of 520 kilometers. In the summer practical test it managed almost 590 kilometers, in winter only 452 kilometers, which means that the WLTP hits the average very well in this case “It’s different with the Toyota bz4X AWD: its range was three percent below the WLTP value of 460 kilometers in summer and almost 32 percent in winter.”
WLTP stands for Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure. This is a procedure for determining the consumption and emission values of passenger cars. The values determined on the chassis dynamometer are often also communicated in the sales documents – however, experience and tests such as the “El Prix” show that the actual consumption is sometimes differs massively from the WLTP measurements. For most test candidates, the winter range deviates between twelve and 30 percent from the WLTP. “Even if it is generally known that extreme temperatures have a major influence on electricity consumption, both manufacturers and retailers should clearly point out this fact,” demands ÖAMTC technician Merker.
Over 520 kilometers in winter – Chinese luxury model as the range winner
An exceptional phenomenon in the range test comes from China: the HiPhi Z, which is still largely unknown in Europe, only ran out of juice after 522 kilometers in the Norwegian winter. “This means it was just under six percent below the WLTP range of 555 kilometers and is the clear test winner – no other candidate could hold a candle to it, both in absolute terms and in terms of deviation from the WLTP,” explains Merker. Of course, the result of the HiPhi Z is currently particularly interesting from a technical point of view, as the purchase price is currently around 100,000 euros. “Even if this car is only suitable for a few buyers, the test shows what is still possible – we hope that other manufacturers will follow suit from a technical point of view,” says the ÖAMTC expert.
Charging time – from ten to 80 percent in under 30 minutes
In addition to the range, what is particularly important for electric car buyers is how long charging takes. “The good news: Half of the test candidates needed less than 30 minutes to charge from ten to 80 percent,” says Merker. “It also became apparent that larger batteries are not only relevant for the maximum possible range, but are also charged faster.”
The ÖAMTC technician’s conclusion: Current electric cars are very sophisticated both in terms of range and charging technology. These factors could soon take a back seat when it comes to consumers’ purchasing decisions, while the availability of charging stations and the efficiency of the batteries become increasingly important.
The results in detail:
Model range in km deviation WLTP actual in % AUDI Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 515 411,4 -20,1% BMW i5 505 443.6 -12.2% Dolphin WORLD 427 339,2 -20,6% Ford F-150 Lightning 429 337,5 -21,3% HiPhi Z 555 522,0 -5,9% Hyundai Ioniq 6 (2WD) 614 467,8 -23,8% Hyundai Kona 454 341,3 -24,8% Jeep Avenger 395 386,0 -27,6% Kia EV9 505 441,9 -12,5% Lotus Eletre 530 464,6 -12,3% Mercedes EQE SUV 491 399.0 -18.7% MG 4 Long Range 520 399,6 -23,2% Nio EL6 529 456,0 -13,8% Nio ET5 560 481.4 -14.0% Nissan Ariya 498 369.4 -25.8% Opel Astra Electric 413 296,0 -28,3% Peugeot e-308 409 297.0 -27.4% Polestar 2 LR 614 430,0 -30,0% Tesla Model 3 629 441,0 -29,9% Toyota bZ4X AWD 460 313.5 -31.8% Volkswagen ID.7 608 414.0 -31.9% Volvo C40 572 395.0 -30.9% Xpeng G9 520 451.8 -13.1%
Details about this and other tests can be found on the mobility club website.
Advice to the editors: Photos can be downloaded from the ÖAMTC press portal.
Questions & Contact:
ÖAMTC public relation +43 (0)1 71199-21218 communication@oeamtc.at
