The Norwegian Automobile Federation has released the results of its 2026 summer El Prix test, which measures the real world driving range of electric vehicles under everyday driving conditions.
While the study evaluated 24 different EVs, five models stood out by delivering the longest distances on a single charge, with several coming remarkably close to their official range figures and some even exceeding them.
- BMW iX3 – 781 km
The BMW iX3 claimed first place in the test, achieving an impressive 781 km on a single charge, surpassing its official WLTP rating of 770 km and setting the benchmark for this year’s event.
- Lucid Gravity – 720 km
Lucid’s large electric SUV secured second place with a real world range of 720 km, confirming its position among the longest range EVs currently available.
- Mercedes CLA – 675 km
The all electric Mercedes CLA continued its strong debut by reaching 675 km during testing, demonstrating excellent efficiency despite falling slightly short of its official figure.
- Mercedes GLC 400 – 665 km
Mercedes placed another model in the top five as the GLC 400 managed 665 km, outperforming its official range rating and highlighting the effectiveness of its electric powertrain.
- Xpeng X9 – 646 km
Rounding out the top five was the Xpeng X9. The Chinese electric MPV delivered one of the biggest surprises of the test by reaching 646 km, significantly exceeding its official range estimate.
More Long Range EVs Were Also Tested
Beyond the top five, the El Prix test included a wide variety of electric vehicles from European, American, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese manufacturers. The remaining models were ranked according to their real world driving range, providing a broader picture of how today’s EVs perform outside laboratory conditions.
Full El Prix Summer Test Rankings
- BMW iX3: 781 km
- Lucid Gravity: 720 km
- Mercedes CLA: 675 km
- Mercedes GLC 400: 665 km
- Xpeng X9: 646 km
- Polestar 3: 601 km
- Mercedes GLB 350: 593 km
- Toyota C-HR+: 587 km
- Kia EV4: 575 km
- Hyundai Ioniq 9: 566 km
- Smart #5: 556 km
- Kia EV5: 509 km
- Toyota bZ4X: 506 km
- MG S6: 502 km
- Citroën ë-C5 Aircross: 500 km
- Mazda 6e: 485 km
- BYD Atto Evo: 460 km
- MG IM6: 446 km
- Changan Deepal S05: 431 km
- Kia PV5: 420 km
- Hyundai Inster: 373 km
- KGM Musso: 369 km
- Dongfeng Figo: 348 km
- Kia EV2: 325 km
The El Prix results demonstrate that real world EV range can be influenced by several factors, including road conditions, temperature, and driving style.
The findings also show that many electric vehicles perform very close to their official range ratings, while some models exceed or fall short of those figures by varying margins. This makes real world testing an important additional indicator for understanding how electric vehicles perform in everyday use.
