Aww yiss! EVs with 200+ miles of range are becoming the norm
Ford Mach-E Hits 300; VW ID.4 250; Volvo XC40 Recharge 208
Range and its attendant anxiety continues to dominate electric vehicle discussions. That discussion is about to move up to a new level as three significant new EVs received their official EPA range certifications this week.
The three electric crossovers—Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen’s ID.4, and Volvo’s XC40 Recharge—all received numbers higher than 200 with one Mach-E model promising 300 miles of range. Of course, we know real-world mileage will vary, but the EPA numbers give a common benchmark so consumers can compare apples-to-apples. We’ll throw in the Tesla Model Y EPA numbers since its part of the competitive set for these cars.
Here’s the tally of the newcomers:
Take the battery pack numbers with some of the same grains of salt you take the range numbers. Not all the companies use the same measurement so the range numbers are the only thing you can really compare on this chart.
Other new contenders are pushing the number envelope, although official EPA numbers haven’t been released. The Lucid Air sedan claims a 517-mile range. Rivian says its pickup will come in two versions—one with more than 300-mile range and another that will top 400 miles—at a $10,000 premium. GM said its EVs based on its new architecture and second-generation batteries will all exceed 400 miles in range.
Tesla’s Model S just received a software boost that took its range to 402 miles. Elon Musk said last week he expected to have more models in the 400-mile range and believes his new smaller model could deliver 620 miles of range (1000 kilometers). The Tesla Model S Plaid variant due next year is rumored to have a 500-mile-plus range.
The new models’ range numbers could be just what the industry needs to build a new wave of EV acceptance.
