What's the best electric car for range?

It used to be that the Tesla Model S Long Range was the best electric car for, well, long range, but while the Texan carmaker (it moved its HQ to Austin back in December 2021) has been fiddling about reinventing the (steering) wheel, Mercedes-Benz has quietly come out with the electric car that’ll take you furthest on a full charge. 

The new EQS might have won Best Interior in the 2021 TG electric awards with its panoramic dashboard display and plush trim but its official WLTP rating is a rangetastic 453 miles in base spec EQS 450+ AMG Line trim. At least 100 miles more than most bladders.

It costs £99,995 so base spec is relative here, of course. You’ll hardly be slumming it with plastic bumpers and wheel trims – the entry EQS comes with 20-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights and a 12.8-inch central touchscreen. Sadly the crazy hyperscreen isn’t available on this trim level, but you could spend the £8k that would have cost you and build a replica cinema in your garage.

The EQS stands ready to call the bluff of anyone who ever claimed that they couldn’t go electric because they need to drive to Scotland without stopping, which their 2004 Hyundai Getz can manage no problem so long as you’re happy getting your partner to refuel from a large bottle out the back window on the M6. 

If you had an EQS 450+ in AMG Line trim you could drive from London to Brussels for the weekend and back without charging, although that’s assuming you drive the whole way at around 55mph and don’t use the car while you’re there.

The new EQS manages its incredible feat thanks to its humungous 108kWh battery, which must contribute a significant chunk of the car’s 2.5-tonne kerbweight. Mercedes says you can get the battery from 10 to 80 per cent charge in 31 minutes on a 200kW rapid charger, but if you used the 3kW lamp post charger near my house you’re looking at more like 36 hours. Phew.

When it comes to ultra long-range rivals, the facelifted Model S is set to arrive in the UK at some point in 2022, and so is the new Air from Californian start-up Lucid. If you wanted a “real” car that you can buy “now”, then you’ll have to opt for something significantly shorter range but still impressive, like the BMW iX and its 315 miles.

But let’s assume for just a second that we don’t have significantly over £1k a month to toss on the PCP bonfire, what electric car gives you the best range bang for our buck? Its range of 300 miles might not be quite as impressive as the Mercedes and its interior not nearly so award worthy, but the Hyundai Kona Electric and its impressively efficient powertrain will set you back a mere £567 a month on a monthly contract. Plus it has a normal sized infotainment screen. Everyone’s a winner.