One of the reasons why many motorists decide to opt for electric cars is represented by the possibility of being able to optimize the related costs. But how much do electric cars consume ? How much is electric car consumption according to the most recent statistics formulated by independent operators in the sector?
We have tried to answer these questions in this study: let’s try to summarize the most important evaluations!
Contents hide
1 How consumption calculations are made
2 The low consumption of electric cars
3 And what about traditional fuels?
How consumption calculations are made
Before proceeding further in our guide, it is good to make a small methodological premise: when it comes to the consumption of electric cars , it is obvious that we must seek a compromise term and a homogeneous measurement with the consumption of combustion cars .
Well, according to what is in use with the main sector studies, the method for making this comparison is to compare the energy burned , converting the “different” energies into a unit of measurement, such as kWh, kilowatt per hour. In this way the consumptions of the different “forms” of energy become comparable.
The US EPA has simplified this by assigning a gallon of gasoline (equal to 3.785 liters) the energy equivalent of 33.7 kWh. EPA also measures vehicle consumption in MPG, while the term MPGe refers to electric cars, or equivalent consumption in gallons. Having clarified this, it is easy to understand how to equate consumption: an electric that does 100 miles in 33.7 kWh is as if it consumed a gallon of petrol.
The low consumption of electric cars
Having clarified the above, we can finally take care of the consumption of electric cars .
According to the latest EPA studies, one of the best ranked electric cars in terms of consumption is the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, which in the combined cycle travels 136 MPGe, while in the city it rises to 150 MPGe and on the highway it drops to 122 MPGe. Consumption per 100 miles (approximately 161 km) is 25 kWh, or 2.81 liters of gasoline (or, if you prefer to use gallons, 0.74 units). It is therefore a consumption equal to 57 km per liter. Not bad, right?
A further term of comparison can be offered for the Tesla Model 3, which in the Standard Range Plus version offers a combined cycle for 133 MPGe, an urban cycle at 140 MPGe and one on the highway at 124 MPGe.
The Fiat 500e stops at 112 MPGe in the combined cycle, while the eGolf and Bolt Chevrolet do better with 119 MPGe, while the Audi e-tron drops to 74.
And what about traditional fuels?
Returning to traditional fuels, the top for diesel is reached with the Chevrolet Cruze, with – respectively – 37/31/48 MPG. The BMW 3 Series 2.0 stops at 36/31/43. In short, these top models travel almost 20 km per liter, but they are far from the performance of electric cars.
For petrol, the Chevrolet Spark is at the top with 33 MPG in the combined cycle, while the Fiat 124 stops at 30 and the Volvo V90 at 27. The plug-in hybrids are advantageous, with the Prius Prime at 133 MPG and in the electric combined cycle. and 54 MPG in petrol use.
Of course, the data must be taken with a grain of salt. In fact, there are no homogeneous procedures to be able to evaluate the performance of the vehicles in question and, therefore, the impression that the numbers can also be heavily revised depending on the different characteristic of the test is more than evident.
So we just have to wait until further steps forward can be made in the structuring of homogeneous, verified and certified tests, which can allow us to carry out a precise, and less random, analysis on the actual performance of the best models in circulation today.
