Photo: Tesla
Although gasoline is more energetically dense than the Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles, ICEs can’t hold a candle to EV efficiency. Recent data from the U.S. Department of Energy show that 17 EV models on the market have an EPA combined rating of 100 MPGe or Higher.
According to the EPA, burning one gallon of gasoline produces 115,000 BTUs (British thermal units). It takes 33.7 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity to generate the same amount of heat. This shows just how incredibly energy-dense gasoline can be. Even the bigger EV battery packs can only store the equivalent energy of around three gallons of gas. Despite that, electric vehicles trump ICEs in the efficiency department.
This is because the inherent efficiency of a combustion engine barely gets to 40%. In comparison, electric motors can convert more than 85% of electricity into mechanical energy. That’s why you see values of more than 100 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) in the case of electric vehicles, while the ICEs show much lower ratings. This is not a fantasy because 100 MPGe means an electric car can travel 100 miles on 33.7 kWh of electricity, or the equivalent of a gallon of gas.
It turns out that many electric vehicles on the market today can achieve and even surpass this efficiency mark. The U.S. Department of Energy found that 17 electric models built for the 2022 model year achieved 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) or higher. Among those 17 models, there are a total of 37 unique configurations that achieved 100 MPGe or higher.
Some may think that the Lucid Air is the most efficient electric vehicle on the market, but it is only the one with the longest range. Tesla Model 3 in rear-wheel drive configuration actually achieved the highest rating for MY 2022, with 132 MPGe. Lucid Air comes second (131 MPGe), although the study doesn’t say which version of the car. Tesla Model Y comes third, with 129 MPGe, followed by Chevrolet Bolt EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Tesla Model S with 120 MPGe.
There may be multiple configurations for a particular model that qualifies to join the ranks. Still, only the base model names are shown with the highest MPGe values for each model name. Of course, some models listed have configurations that fall below 100 MPGe, but that’s beside the point.
This is because the inherent efficiency of a combustion engine barely gets to 40%. In comparison, electric motors can convert more than 85% of electricity into mechanical energy. That’s why you see values of more than 100 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) in the case of electric vehicles, while the ICEs show much lower ratings. This is not a fantasy because 100 MPGe means an electric car can travel 100 miles on 33.7 kWh of electricity, or the equivalent of a gallon of gas.
It turns out that many electric vehicles on the market today can achieve and even surpass this efficiency mark. The U.S. Department of Energy found that 17 electric models built for the 2022 model year achieved 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) or higher. Among those 17 models, there are a total of 37 unique configurations that achieved 100 MPGe or higher.
Some may think that the Lucid Air is the most efficient electric vehicle on the market, but it is only the one with the longest range. Tesla Model 3 in rear-wheel drive configuration actually achieved the highest rating for MY 2022, with 132 MPGe. Lucid Air comes second (131 MPGe), although the study doesn’t say which version of the car. Tesla Model Y comes third, with 129 MPGe, followed by Chevrolet Bolt EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Tesla Model S with 120 MPGe.
There may be multiple configurations for a particular model that qualifies to join the ranks. Still, only the base model names are shown with the highest MPGe values for each model name. Of course, some models listed have configurations that fall below 100 MPGe, but that’s beside the point.
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