All-Electric Vehicle Ranges Can Exceed Those of Some Gasoline Vehicles
August 22, 2016
Although most electric vehicles (EV) have shorter ranges than gasoline vehicles, there are EVs with ranges equal to or greater than some gasoline-powered models. For the 2016 model year (MY) the maximum range for an all-electric vehicle (AEV) is 294 miles while the minimum range for a gasoline model is 240 miles. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) use both gasoline and electricity drawn from the grid. The all-electric range of PHEV models varies greatly, and the total gasoline and electric range of a PHEV is between 150 and 600 miles in MY2016 vehicles. The ranges for EVs have been increasing since their debut in the mass market but technological improvements have also increased the ranges for gasoline vehicles. For 2016, the median range for gasoline vehicles is 412 miles while the highest range is just over 700 miles.
Breadth of AEV, PHEV, and Gasoline Vehicle Ranges, MY 2016 (Miles)
Breadth of AEV, PHEV, and Gasoline Vehicle Ranges, MY 2016 (Miles)
| Vehicle Range | All-Electric Vehicles | Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles | Gasoline Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Range | 62.0 | 150.0 | 240.0 |
| Median Range | 83.5 | 440.0 | 412.0 |
| Maximum Range | 294.0 | 600.0 | 703.0 |
Notes
- Vehicle ranges are Environmental Protection Agency estimated ranges. Each make and model was counted only once, selecting the configuration with the longest range.
- Plug-in hybrid vehicle range is the total of both gasoline and electric miles, assuming a fully-charged battery and a full tank of gasoline.
- Hybrid-electric vehicles which are fueled only with gasoline are included in the gasoline vehicle data.
Source
U. S. Department of Energy, FuelEconomy.Gov data, accessed May 19, 2016.