Photo: Volkswagen
Whenever a car company launches a new EV, one of the things you'll hear Tesla fans say in response to those who predict the doom of their favorite brand now that this new car is out is, "yeah, but can it go for X number of miles on a charge like the Tesla does?"
The number they quote would be the EPA rating for a Tesla model of choice, and as we all know, that figure is usually higher than anything on the market. For instance, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range has an official maximum range of 353 miles (568 km), which is way beyond the reach of anything in its segment.
However, several real-world tests have proven that the procedure used by the EPA to come with these numbers has nothing to do with what happens on actual roads. The most recent example is Edmunds' massive EV range test that revealed how most of the models from other manufacturers exceeded their EPA ratings, while no Tesla managed to meet theirs.
Now, French publication L’Automobile put the new Volkswagen ID.4 1st electric crossover through its EV range testing procedure, yielding the kind of results that probably caused several parties throughout Wolfsburg. According to the magazine, the ID.3's bigger brother was able to break the publication's highway range record with a distance of 211 miles (340 km).
It may not sound too impressive, but it's actually 12 miles (~20 km) better than what the Model 3 Long Range did, and these two aren't even direct competitors—that would be the Model Y. However, with Tesla's crossover unavailable in Europe for the time being, the sedan will have to take its place and accept the beating on its behalf.
It's not just the highway where the autonomy of the Long Range proved not to be so long. Out on regular roads, the French found out the Model 3 will cover a distance of 244 miles (393 km), while in the city, it will empty its battery after 276 miles (445 km). Meanwhile, the ID.4 did 241 miles (388 km) and 288 miles (464 km), respectively.
Despite these results, however, don't feel too bad for any Tesla fan because they still have a few comebacks whenever the weaknesses of their favorite cars are pointed out. "Yeah, but how quick is it to 60 mph?" would be one, but also, "Yeah, but does it have a Supercharger network?"—all valid points at the moment, especially in the U.S. Some might even go as far as to bring the Autopilot into the discussion, but you can ignore those.
However, several real-world tests have proven that the procedure used by the EPA to come with these numbers has nothing to do with what happens on actual roads. The most recent example is Edmunds' massive EV range test that revealed how most of the models from other manufacturers exceeded their EPA ratings, while no Tesla managed to meet theirs.
Now, French publication L’Automobile put the new Volkswagen ID.4 1st electric crossover through its EV range testing procedure, yielding the kind of results that probably caused several parties throughout Wolfsburg. According to the magazine, the ID.3's bigger brother was able to break the publication's highway range record with a distance of 211 miles (340 km).
It may not sound too impressive, but it's actually 12 miles (~20 km) better than what the Model 3 Long Range did, and these two aren't even direct competitors—that would be the Model Y. However, with Tesla's crossover unavailable in Europe for the time being, the sedan will have to take its place and accept the beating on its behalf.
It's not just the highway where the autonomy of the Long Range proved not to be so long. Out on regular roads, the French found out the Model 3 will cover a distance of 244 miles (393 km), while in the city, it will empty its battery after 276 miles (445 km). Meanwhile, the ID.4 did 241 miles (388 km) and 288 miles (464 km), respectively.
Despite these results, however, don't feel too bad for any Tesla fan because they still have a few comebacks whenever the weaknesses of their favorite cars are pointed out. "Yeah, but how quick is it to 60 mph?" would be one, but also, "Yeah, but does it have a Supercharger network?"—all valid points at the moment, especially in the U.S. Some might even go as far as to bring the Autopilot into the discussion, but you can ignore those.
Google News