More likely than not, driving range will always be the biggest sticking point for electric cars. You can only mount a big enough battery before saddling the car with too much weight, after all. Plus, you can’t simply make a two-minute pit stop to fill up like you would with a gas vehicle, as you’ll need to plug in for a decent length of time if you want to get enough juice to drive you the rest of the way.
Fortunately, range has improved a lot from the nascent days of electric cars, with mileage north of 300 miles no longer uncommon in the category. This makes electric cars pretty viable for a lot more than driving around the city, allowing you to take your zero emissions vehicle on out of town trips and even interstate travels without experiencing range anxiety.
As of now, these are the best electric cars you can take for longer drives.
Lucid Air
With a maximum range of 520 miles for the Dream Edition R and 516 miles for the Air Grand Touring, the Lucid Air offers the longest range you can get out of any electric car today. Sure, it comes with an eye-watering sticker price, but if you want an all-electric car that can hold up for an eight-hour drive, this thing’s your best bet to do just that. According to the outfit, DC charging stations can also fill it up with an extra 180 miles on just a 15-minute charge. Seriously, this car’s range is so impressive, there’s not a single other EV in the market today that comes within 100 miles of its purported mileage. The car’s not just all about the range, either, as it puts out an impressive 1,111 horsepower, allowing it to go from standstill to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, making that long drive sound like it’s going to be fun.
Tesla Model S
It’s really impressive how the Model S has remained high up in the range department for electric cars, having originally been launched in 2012. For a long time, in fact, it held the throne for long-distance electric driving with its 405-mile range, which, to this day, still beats Tesla’s own Model S Plaid flagship. It’s an amazing car, too, with a 2.4-second sprint to 60 mph, full-time all-wheel drive, and plenty of creature comforts, including a huge 26-cubic foot trunk. In case you want the best performer in Tesla’s fleet, though, the Plaid isn’t too bad for long-range driving, either, as it should let you cover a whopping 396 miles between charges.
Hyundai Ioniq 6
Hyundai likes to refer to this model as an “electrified streamliner” as their nod to the streamlined silhouettes of motorcars from the early part of the 20th century. And it is quite streamlined, sporting swooping lines that give it an incredibly low 0.219 drag coefficient. The result is an impressively efficient EV that nets you 381 miles of range using the rear-wheel drive, all while sprinting to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and hitting top speeds of 115 mph. It also juices up the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes using ultra-fast charging, allowing you to get back on the road after a brief stop in the rest room and a quick bite at the snack bar.
Tesla Model 3
Despite being Tesla’s most affordable vehicle, the Model 3 still balls out as one of the longest-range EVs in the market, boasting the ability to cover an estimated 358 miles of range on a single charge. Even better, you can fill it up with a charge good for 175 miles on a 15-minute stop at a Supercharger location, allowing you to get back on the road and resume your journey with little time lost. A dual-motor AWD, the electric car can hit 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and reach top speeds of 162 mph.
Mercedes EQS 450+
While it’s advertised to be a 453-mile long-distance driver out in Europe (hence the 450+ in the name), the luxury sedan only manages a more modest 350 miles on stateside range-testing standards. That’s still a heck of a lot of driving you can do while basking inside a German luxury cabin on a rear-wheel drive automatic that can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. When hooked up to a DC charger, the car can replenish its battery to 80 percent in just 31 minutes, so you can grab a meal and get back on the road in short order.
Tesla Model X
Despite its flashy falcon wing doors, Tesla’s compact SUV is also very economical with its battery, allowing you to drive a substantial 348 miles between charges. It also brings some decent muscle, with the dual motors putting out 670 horsepower, allowing it to go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Being an SUV, there are some utilitarian niceties, too, including 92 cubic feet of storage room and a 5,000-pound tow rating. If you’re a speed junkie, you’ll likely want the more powerful X Plaid model that can blitz to the same 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, although the extra muscle does give it a shorter range of just 333 miles.
Tesla Model Y
Yeah, Tesla makes really good electric cars. The fourth Tesla model in our list takes on a crossover profile, giving motorists a utility ride that can cover 330 miles before needing a recharge. With a focus on utility, the car comes 76 cubic feet of space, with a second row of seats that can fold down for fitting in even more when needed. You can also turn the back into a third row of seats, which are admittedly cramped, to turn it into a seven-seater. The dual-motor AWD can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds while hitting top speeds of 155 mph.
GMC Hummer EV Pickup
Yes, there’s a proper electric pickup truck in our long-range EV list and it takes on the good, old Hummer profile. Is it still eco-friendly if it’s as brash and bold as a ridiculous Humvee? We don’t know, but this 9,000-pound behemoth actually achieves an impressive 329 miles of range from its massive 212.7 kWh battery, all while packing all the off-road utility you can ask for with its independent front and rear suspension, electronic lockers front and rear, heavy-duty ball spline half shafts, and full underbody armor.
