Roundup

The Most Efficient Electric Cars

An efficient vehicle travels the furthest using the lowest amount of energy.

November 30, 2024       11 min read
most efficient ev

Listed in order of most efficient to the least, using the WLTP consumption rating.

You can predict the running cost of the vehicle by entering the unit price you pay for electricity (check your power bill)

Electricity unit price

cents/kWh
VehiclekWh/100kmCharging cost ($/100km)
Mini Aceman SE13.8$3.45
Hyundai IONIQ 613.9$3.48
Mini Cooper SE14.1$3.53
Mini Aceman E14.1$3.53
Fiat 500e14.2$3.55
Hyundai Kona 39 kWh14.3$3.58
Hyundai IONIQ 6 77 RWD14.3$3.58
Hyundai Kona 64 kWh14.7$3.68
Polestar 2 Long Range (2024)14.8$3.70
Tesla Model 314.9$3.73
BYD Dolphin15.2$3.80
BYD Seal Dynamic15.3$3.83
Jeep Avenger15.4$3.85
Omoda E515.5$3.88
BYD Atto 3 Extended15.6$3.90
Tesla Model Y15.7$3.93
Volvo EX30 Single15.7$3.93
Cupra Born V+15.8$3.95
BYD Dolphin Extended15.9$3.98
Polestar 2 Long Range Dual (2024)15.9$3.98
BMW i4 eDrive4016$4.00
MG 4 Excite 6416$4.00
Hyundai IONIQ 6 77 Elite16$4.00
Tesla Model 3 Long Range16$4.00
Subaru Solterra16$4.00
Skoda Enyaq Sportline16.1$4.03
Kia Niro16.2$4.05
Skoda Enyaq Coupe Sportline Max16.2$4.05
Volvo EX30 Twin16.3$4.08
Mercedes-Benz EQE 30016.4$4.10
Skoda Enyaq Sportline Max16.4$4.10
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+16.4$4.10
Kia EV6 Air Long Range16.5$4.13
Volkswagen ID.5 Pro16.5$4.13
MG 4 Long Range16.5$4.13
Audi Q4 e-tron 4516.5$4.13
MG 4 Essence 6416.6$4.15
BYD Seal Premium16.6$4.15
Polestar 2 (2023)16.7$4.18
Hyundai IONIQ 516.7$4.18
BMW iX 5016.7$4.18
Toyota bZ4X Pure16.7$4.18
GWM Ora16.7$4.18
GWM Ora Extended16.7$4.18
Tesla Model 3 Performance16.7$4.18
Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback16.7$4.18
Hyundai IONIQ 5 72 2WD16.8$4.20
Lexus UX 300e16.8$4.20
MG 4 Excite 5116.8$4.20
BMW iX1 eDrive2016.8$4.20
GWM Ora GT16.8$4.20
Polestar 2 Dual Performance (2024)16.8$4.20
Volkswagen ID.4 Pro16.9$4.23
Tesla Model Y Long Range16.9$4.23
Hyundai IONIQ 6 77 Limited16.9$4.23
Mini Countryman SE17$4.25
Porsche Macan Electric17$4.25
Nissan Leaf 40 kWh17.1$4.28
Tesla Model Y Performance17.1$4.28
BMW iX2 eDrive2017.1$4.28
Kia EV6 Earth17.2$4.30
Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD17.2$4.30
Audi Q4 e-tron 5517.3$4.33
Mercedes-Benz EQA 35017.5$4.38
Mercedes-Benz EQB 250+17.5$4.38
Polestar 3 Single17.6$4.40
MG ZS EV17.7$4.43
MG ZS EV Long Range17.7$4.43
Hyundai IONIQ 5 72 AWD17.7$4.43
Porsche Macan 4S Electric17.7$4.43
Mercedes-Benz EQE 35017.8$4.45
Polestar 4 Single17.8$4.45
Subaru Solterra Touring17.9$4.48
Porsche Macan 4 Electric17.9$4.48
Kia EV6 GT-Line18$4.50
Toyota bZ4X Motion18$4.50
BMW i5 M60 Touring18$4.50
Kia EV5 Light +18$4.50
Kia EV5 Light18$4.50
BMW iX1 xDrive3018.1$4.53
Abarth 500e18.1$4.53
Volvo C40 Recharge18.2$4.55
BYD Seal Performance18.2$4.55
Volvo XC40 Recharge18.3$4.58
Nissan Leaf e+ 59 kWh18.5$4.63
Nissan Ariya Engage18.5$4.63
Nissan Ariya Advance18.5$4.63
Kia EV5 Earth18.5$4.63
Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD18.7$4.68
BMW i4 eDrive3518.7$4.68
MG 4 XPower18.7$4.68
Nissan Ariya Evolve18.7$4.68
Polestar 4 Dual18.7$4.68
KGM Torres EVX18.7$4.68
Mercedes-Benz EQB 35018.8$4.70
Porsche Macan Turbo Electric18.8$4.70
Audi Q6 e-tron Advanced18.8$4.70
Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 SUV18.9$4.73
Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 SUV18.9$4.73
Volvo XC40 Ultimate19$4.75
BMW i4 M5019$4.75
Hyundai IONIQ 5 77 Limited19.1$4.78
MG Cyberster19.1$4.78
BMW iX 40 Sport19.3$4.83
Polestar 2 Long Range Dual (2023)19.4$4.85
BMW iX319.5$4.88
Kia EV9 Light19.5$4.88
BMW i7 xDrive6019.6$4.90
BMW i5 M60 xDrive19.6$4.90
Audi Q6 e-tron S line quattro19.6$4.90
Polestar 3 Dual19.7$4.93
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT20$5.00
Audi e-tron GT quattro20.1$5.03
Kia EV5 Earth AWD20.1$5.03
Kia EV6 GT20.6$5.15
Volvo C40 Ultimate20.8$5.20
Audi RS e-tron GT20.9$5.23
Kia EV5 GT-Line21$5.25
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 Sedan21.2$5.30
Audi Q8 e-tron 5521.3$5.33
LDV MIFA 921.3$5.33
Lotus Eletre S21.4$5.35
Lotus Emeya S21.4$5.35
Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 5321.8$5.45
Jaguar I-PACE22$5.50
Mercedes-Benz EQS 680 Maybach22$5.50
Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 53 SUV22.1$5.53
Polestar 3 Performance22.2$5.55
Rolls-Royce Spectre22.2$5.55
Kia EV9 GT-Line22.8$5.70
Audi Q8 e-tron 55 S line22.9$5.73
Mercedes-Benz EQS AMG 5323$5.75
Kia EV9 Earth23.1$5.78
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV24.3$6.08
BMW iX M6024.7$6.18
Porsche Taycan26.5$6.63
Audi SQ8 e-tron Sportback27.4$6.85
Lotus Eletre R28$7.00
Mercedes-Benz EQV 30029.1$7.28

What is WLTP consumption?

The WLTP is the benchmark for comparing EV range and running costs. It measures recharged electric energy from the mains.

Example: A car that uses 16 kWh / 100 km means:

For the car to travel 100 kilometres (in average conditions), it will consume 16 kWh of electricity from your switchboard.

Some of this electricity will get lost in the charging process (called charging loss), and some might go to pre-heating the battery (in some vehicles).

How electric energy consumption is measured

Efficiency can be expressed in three different ways.

  1. watt-hours consumed per kilometre travelled – Wh / km.
  2. kilowatt-hours per 100 km travelled – kWh / 100 km.
  3. kilometres per kilowatt-hour (the number of kilometres travelled per kWh of electricity) – km / kWh

Energy consumption can be measured from the battery or recharged electric energy from the mains.

  1. Battery consumption allows comparison on a drive-by-drive basis (viewed in the dashboard).
  2. Mains consumption is good for comparing running costs as it considers charging losses (measured using special equipment).

Car reviewers routinely mix up the two measurements: “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 (during recharging) – they are not comparing the same thing.

How is EV efficiency measured?

The WLTP testing process depletes the battery and then recharges it again (while measuring electricity leaving the mains). This process, along with other calculations, 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 a low aerodynamic drag coefficient, and has an efficient powertrain that maximises regenerative braking.

Why drive an efficient EV?

  1. Lower running costs – less recharging needed.
  2. Fewer emissions during travel – NZ has around 85% of renewables but still generates electricity from fossil fuel sources.
  3. Fewer emissions during production – inefficient EVs have larger batteries to power larger mass.

EV economy cheat sheet

Your EVs trip computer or dashboard display will show your driving efficiency. Sometimes, monitoring your efficiency using the kilometres per kWh measure is helpful.

Here’s a quick conversion between the different units.

kWh / 100 kmkm / kWhEfficiency
1010.0Ridiculous
10.59.5Ridiculous
119.1Ridiculous
11.58.7Excellent
128.3Excellent
12.58.0Excellent
137.7Good
13.57.4Good
147.1Good
14.56.9Normal
156.7Normal
15.56.5Normal
166.3Normal
16.56.1Normal
175.9Highway
17.55.7Highway
185.6Highway
18.55.4Highway
195.3Highway
19.55.1Highway
205.0Highway

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