What is the range of an electric car?

The range of an electric car, like that of a classic endothermic car, is influenced by several factors:

• Car model: car type and battery capacity are closely related elements and the first to be considered when calculating range. A larger battery tends to result in a greater range;

• Driving style: performance and consumption are influenced by the way in which an electric car is driven. Smooth, progressive driving without sudden acceleration or braking guarantees the best possible performance. Sporty or aggressive driving increases the vehicle's consumption and reduces its total range;

• Type of journey: like endothermic cars, winding or demanding roads (long climbs, etc.) require more effort from the motor and thus reduce the number of kilometres travelled;

• City or motorway: urban routes ensure a longer battery life. Motorway driving significantly reduces the range due to several factors: higher speeds, reduced number of braking actions that regenerate the battery, and aerodynamic wind resistance;

• Devices used and overall vehicle weight: intensive use of air conditioning, infotainment and charging of electronic devices during the journey will reduce the overall range. Similarly, a fully laden car (passengers and/or luggage) has a shorter range, in the same way as for an endothermic vehicle.

That being said, the range of most electric cars on the market varies between 200 and 500 km: a range that perfectly meets the needs of the average user. In fact, it has been calculated that, in most countries, the distances travelled every day for various activities - going to work, taking the children to school, shopping or going out for other commitments - vary on average between 40 and 60 kilometres (source:  Goldman Sachs, Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy, 2015), while 95% of daily transfers do not exceed 200 km overall (source: National Household Travel Survey).