Listed in order of most efficient to the least, using the WLTP consumption rating.
Running cost is based on 0.25 cents per kWh electricity price.
| WLTP* | Economy** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Wh / km | Running cost ($/100km) | km / kWh |
| Hyundai IONIQ 38 kWh | 138 | $3.45 | 8.1 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 | 139 | $3.48 | 8.1 |
| Fiat 500e | 142 | $3.55 | 8.6 |
| Hyundai Kona 39 kWh | 143 | $3.58 | 7.8 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 77 RWD | 143 | $3.58 | 7.9 |
| Opel Mokka-e SRi | 145 | $3.63 | 7.8 |
| Hyundai Kona 64 kWh | 147 | $3.68 | 7.6 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 149 | $3.73 | 8.4 |
| Opel Corsa-e SRi | 152 | $3.80 | 8.3 |
| Peugeot e-208 | 152 | $3.80 | 8.3 |
| BYD Dolphin | 152 | $3.80 | 7.6 |
| Citroen e-C4 | 153 | $3.83 | 7.8 |
| BYD Seal Dynamic | 153 | $3.83 | 7.5 |
| Jeep Avenger | 154 | $3.85 | 7.9 |
| Omoda E5 | 155 | $3.88 | 7 |
| BYD Atto 3 Extended | 156 | $3.90 | 6.9 |
| BMW iX2 eDrive20 | 156 | $3.90 | 7.2 |
| Tesla Model Y | 157 | $3.93 | 7.6 |
| BYD Atto 3 Standard Range | 157 | $3.93 | 6.9 |
| Volvo EX30 Single | 157 | $3.93 | 7.4 |
| Cupra Born V+ | 158 | $3.95 | 7.1 |
| BYD Dolphin Extended | 159 | $3.98 | 7.1 |
| BMW i4 eDrive40 | 160 | $4.00 | 7.3 |
| MG 4 Excite 64 | 160 | $4.00 | 7.2 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 77 Elite | 160 | $4.00 | 7 |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range | 160 | $4.00 | 8.4 |
| Subaru Solterra | 160 | $4.00 | 7.3 |
| Peugeot e-2008 | 161 | $4.03 | 8 |
| Skoda Enyaq Sportline | 161 | $4.03 | 6.9 |
| Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback 40 | 161 | $4.03 | 7.1 |
| Kia Niro | 162 | $4.05 | 7.1 |
| Skoda Enyaq Coupe Sportline Max | 162 | $4.05 | 6.9 |
| Volvo EX30 Twin | 163 | $4.08 | 7 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 | 164 | $4.10 | 7 |
| Skoda Enyaq Sportline Max | 164 | $4.10 | 6.8 |
| Kia EV6 Air Long Range | 165 | $4.13 | 7.1 |
| Volkswagen ID.5 Pro | 165 | $4.13 | 6.9 |
| MG 4 Long Range | 165 | $4.13 | 7.1 |
| Kia EV6 Air Standard Range | 166 | $4.15 | 7.3 |
| Kia Niro Plus | 166 | $4.15 | 6.7 |
| MG 4 Essence 64 | 166 | $4.15 | 7 |
| BYD Seal Premium | 166 | $4.15 | 6.9 |
| Polestar 2 | 167 | $4.18 | 7.1 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 167 | $4.18 | 7.1 |
| BMW iX 50 | 167 | $4.18 | 6 |
| Toyota bZ4X Pure | 167 | $4.18 | 6.9 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB 250 | 167 | $4.18 | 5.6 |
| GWM Ora | 167 | $4.18 | 6.8 |
| GWM Ora Extended | 167 | $4.18 | 7.1 |
| Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback 50 | 167 | $4.18 | 6.8 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 72 2WD | 168 | $4.20 | 6.9 |
| SsangYong Korando e-Motion | 168 | $4.20 | 6.1 |
| Lexus UX 300e | 168 | $4.20 | 6.2 |
| MG 4 Excite 51 | 168 | $4.20 | 6.9 |
| BMW iX1 eDrive20 | 168 | $4.20 | 6.8 |
| GWM Ora GT | 168 | $4.20 | 6.7 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 Pro | 169 | $4.23 | 6.7 |
| Tesla Model Y Long Range | 169 | $4.23 | 7.1 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 77 Limited | 169 | $4.23 | 6.7 |
| Nissan Leaf 40 kWh | 171 | $4.28 | 6.9 |
| Polestar 2 Long Range | 171 | $4.28 | 7.3 |
| Tesla Model Y Performance | 171 | $4.28 | 6.9 |
| Kia EV6 Earth | 172 | $4.30 | 6.8 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 172 | $4.30 | 6.3 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQA 350 | 175 | $4.38 | 6.5 |
| MG ZS EV | 177 | $4.43 | 6.5 |
| MG ZS EV Long Range | 177 | $4.43 | 6.4 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 72 AWD | 177 | $4.43 | 6.6 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 | 177 | $4.43 | 6.4 |
| Polestar 4 Long Range | 177 | $4.43 | 6.5 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 | 178 | $4.45 | 6.5 |
| Subaru Solterra Touring | 179 | $4.48 | 6.5 |
| Porsche Macan 4 | 179 | $4.48 | 6.4 |
| Porsche Macan Turbo | 179 | $4.48 | 6.2 |
| Kia EV6 GT-Line | 180 | $4.50 | 6.5 |
| Toyota bZ4X Motion | 180 | $4.50 | 6.5 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 77 Elite | 180 | $4.50 | 6.4 |
| BMW iX1 xDrive30 | 181 | $4.53 | 6.4 |
| Abarth 500e | 181 | $4.53 | 6.7 |
| Volvo EC40 | 182 | $4.55 | 6.5 |
| BMW i5 M60 | 182 | $4.55 | 6.4 |
| BYD Seal Performance | 182 | $4.55 | 6.3 |
| Volvo EX40 | 183 | $4.58 | 6.3 |
| Nissan Leaf e+ 62 kWh | 185 | $4.63 | 6.5 |
| Polestar 4 Long Range Dual | 186 | $4.65 | 6.2 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD | 187 | $4.68 | 6 |
| BMW i4 eDrive35 | 187 | $4.68 | 6.1 |
| MG 4 XPower | 187 | $4.68 | 6.4 |
| KGM Torres EVX | 187 | $4.68 | 6.3 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 | 188 | $4.70 | 5.4 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 SUV | 189 | $4.73 | 6.1 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 SUV | 189 | $4.73 | 6.1 |
| Volvo EX40 Ultimate | 190 | $4.75 | 6.1 |
| BMW i4 M50 | 190 | $4.75 | 6.3 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 77 Limited | 191 | $4.78 | 6.1 |
| BMW iX 40 Sport | 193 | $4.83 | 6 |
| Polestar 2 Long Range Dual | 194 | $4.85 | 6.5 |
| BMW iX3 | 195 | $4.88 | 6.2 |
| Kia EV9 Light | 195 | $4.88 | 6 |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 40 | 196 | $4.90 | 6.9 |
| BMW i7 xDrive60 | 196 | $4.90 | 6 |
| Audi e-tron GT quattro | 199 | $4.98 | 5.7 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | 200 | $5.00 | 5.4 |
| Polestar 3 Long Range | 201 | $5.03 | 5.7 |
| Audi RS e-tron GT | 206 | $5.15 | 5.6 |
| Kia EV6 GT | 206 | $5.15 | 5.7 |
| Volvo EC40 Ultimate | 208 | $5.20 | 6.5 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 Sedan | 212 | $5.30 | 5.9 |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 50 quattro | 213 | $5.33 | 6.7 |
| Audi Q8 e-tron 55 | 213 | $5.33 | 5.3 |
| LDV MIFA 9 | 213 | $5.33 | 4.9 |
| Lotus Eletre S | 214 | $5.35 | 5.5 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 53 | 218 | $5.45 | 5.5 |
| Polestar 3 Performance | 219 | $5.48 | 5.2 |
| Jaguar I-PACE | 220 | $5.50 | 5.5 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 53 SUV | 221 | $5.53 | 5.4 |
| Kia EV9 GT-Line | 228 | $5.70 | 5.3 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS AMG 53 | 230 | $5.75 | 5.4 |
| Kia EV9 Earth | 231 | $5.78 | 5.1 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV | 243 | $6.08 | 5.5 |
| BMW iX M60 | 247 | $6.18 | 5.4 |
| Porsche Taycan | 265 | $6.63 | 4.7 |
| Audi SQ8 e-tron Sportback | 274 | $6.85 | 4.1 |
| Lotus Eletre R | 280 | $7.00 | 4.5 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQV 300 | 291 | $7.28 | 3.8 |
Efficiency cheat sheet
Bamboozled by the kWh/100km thing? Here’s a rough conversion.
| kWh / 100 km | km / kWh | Efficiency |
| 10 | 10.0 | Ridiculous |
| 10.5 | 9.5 | Ridiculous |
| 11 | 9.1 | Ridiculous |
| 11.5 | 8.7 | Excellent |
| 12 | 8.3 | Excellent |
| 12.5 | 8.0 | Excellent |
| 13 | 7.7 | Good |
| 13.5 | 7.4 | Good |
| 14 | 7.1 | Good |
| 14.5 | 6.9 | Normal |
| 15 | 6.7 | Normal |
| 15.5 | 6.5 | Normal |
| 16 | 6.3 | Normal |
| 16.5 | 6.1 | Normal |
| 17 | 5.9 | Highway |
| 17.5 | 5.7 | Highway |
| 18 | 5.6 | Highway |
| 18.5 | 5.4 | Highway |
| 19 | 5.3 | Highway |
| 19.5 | 5.1 | Highway |
| 20 | 5.0 | Highway |
What is WLTP consumption?
* The WLTP is the benchmark for comparing EVs and estimating running costs. It measures recharged electric energy from the mains.
Charging loss: if you’ve ever measured household draw when charging, more electricity leaves your circuit board than goes into the battery.
Power can be lost as heat, and some cars may use power for battery heating or pre-conditioning.
**What is economy?
The vehicle dashboard (or trip computer) shows how much power is consumed from the battery. It knows nothing of the energy lost during charging.
Kilometres per kWh is a useful metric; you can compare your economy over different driving styles, types of journeys, or weather.
How can you get two vehicles with the same WLTP Wh / km but a different economy estimate?
The vehicle that gets more kilometres per kWh on the dashboard must have used less electricity during charging. The economy estimate is based on usable battery (something that is not always published in the manufacturer spec sheet).
How does this compare to Hybrids and Plugin Hybrids?
Consumer NZ did a real-world test.
How electric energy consumption is measured
Efficiency can be expressed in three different ways.
- watt-hours (Wh) consumed per kilometre travelled.
- kilowatt-hours (kWh) per 100 km travelled.
- km / kWh (the number of kilometres travelled per kWh of electricity).
Energy consumption can be measured from the battery or recharged electric energy from the mains.
- Battery consumption allows comparison on a drive-by-drive basis (viewed in the dashboard).
- Mains consumption is good for comparing running costs as it considers charging losses (measured using special equipment).
Car reviewers routinely mix the two: “The WLTP says 167 Wh / km, but I managed to get 148 Wh / km”.
Unless the reviewer wired up a meter to measure power leaving the mains – they are not comparing the same thing.
How is EV efficiency measured?
The WLTP testing process depletes the battery, then recharges it again (while measuring electricity leaving the mains). Along with other calculations, this process predicts a consumption figure using recharged energy from the mains.
The test cycle also measures electricity consumption from the battery during travel to estimate the EV’s range.
What affects efficiency?
Efficiency is affected by vehicle mass, powertrain, aerodynamic drag, and rolling resistance.
An efficient EV is lighter, has low aerodynamic drag coefficient, and an efficient powertrain that maximises regenerative braking.
Why drive an efficient EV?
- Lower running costs – less recharging needed.
- Fewer emissions during travel – NZ has around 85% of renewables but still generates electricity from fossil fuel sources.
- Fewer emissions during production – inefficient EVs have larger batteries to power larger mass.
