Top 10 most efficient electric cars.

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When it comes to Electric Vehicles, one oft-quoted spec is the overall range. It is in response to early Electric Vehicles with sub-100 miles of range, but it also points to how far modern Electric Vehicles can go — on par with gasoline-powered cars in some cases. That’s an important spec – especially for someone whose only car is likely to be an Electric, but there’s another key data point to consider, and that’s overall efficiency.

Even the least efficient Electric Vehicles are more efficient than the most efficient petrol-electric hybrids when evaluated using the EPA’s miles per gallon-equivalent rating, an attempt to express Electric Vehicle efficiency in terms familiar to buyers, the higher the number the better. At launch, the least efficient 2022 model year Electric Vehicle is the Audi E-Tron S, which is rated at 62/64/63 mpg-e city/highway/combined. The most efficient hybrid is the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq Blue, rated 58/60/59 mpg.

But just as there are big differences in efficiency between some gasoline-powered vehicles, there are also significant differences between electric vehicles. Aside from the same benefits as more efficient gasoline cars — using less energy (and costing less money) — all other things being equal, the most efficient Electric Vehicles are also less efficient on a charge.

Top 10 most efficient electric cars.

Again with the E-Tron S, it uses 53 kWh of energy for 100 miles, according to the Enviromental Protection Agency. The most efficient Electric Vehicle in the 2022 model year, the rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 uses less than half as much energy, at 25 kilowatt-hours. The E-Tron S has an integrated charger with a higher capacity than the RWD Model 3 — 9.6 kW and 7.6 kW, respectively — but if both cars are charged at 7.6 kW, the E-Tron S will take about 7 hours to recharge 100 more miles of range and less than 3.5 hours to give the Model 3 the same range. When charging at the E-Tron S’s maximum 9.6 kW rate, it still takes 5.5 hours to add 100 miles of range.

The E-Tron S is larger than the Model 3, but you’ll find the specs show a significant difference in efficiency between models in its class.

The same type of analysis can be applied to petrol-powered vehicles, as the Enviromental Protection Agency provides data in gallons per 100 miles. However, the tank fills up so quickly, the difference in adding 10 gallons or 20 gallons, measured in minutes and hours, makes the time savings of choosing a more efficient gas car less important.

The list below shows the 10 most efficient electric vehicles for the 2022 model year. If multiple versions of a given model qualify, we choose the most efficient version. Energy consumption, overall efficiency and range are Enviromental Protection Agency estimates.

Most efficient electric vehicle (energy consumption per 100 miles)

Top 10. 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring w/19-inch wheels: 26 kWh

2022 Hyundai Kona EV: 28 kWh

2022 Tesla Model S: 28 kWh

2022 Tesla Model Y Long Range: 28 kWh

2022 Kia EV6 RWD: 29 kWh

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD: 30 kWh

2022 Kia e-Niro: 30 kWh

2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD

Energy use: 25 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 132 mpg-e
Price: $46,190, including $1,200 destination charge

The Tesla Model 3 rear-wheel-drive compact sedan is the most efficient electric vehicle in 2022, rated at 25 kWh per 100 miles. Its 272-mile range is the shortest of the Model 3 lineup, but the long-range all-wheel-drive Model 3 is nearly as efficient; it uses 26 kWh per 100 miles and significantly increases its range to 358 miles. However, it’s also $6,000 more.

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring w/19-inch wheels

Energy use: 26 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 131 mpg-e
Price: $139,000, not including destination

The Lucid Air is the new luxury sedan from the new Electric Vehicle brand. At 26 kWh per 100 miles, it’s nearly as efficient as the most efficient Model 3, but the Air’s 516-mile range is nearly double that of the Tesla. Of course, the Air is also three times more expensive.

2022 Hyundai Kona

Energy use: 28 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 120 mpg-e
Price: $35,245, including $1,245 destination

The Kona is a subcompact SUV, but unlike the gasoline-engine Kona, which comes with front-wheel drive or AWD, the Kona Electric Vehicle is only available with FWD. It’s rated at 28 kWh per 100 miles and has a range of 258 miles.

2022 Tesla Model S

Energy use: 28 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 120 mpg-e
Price: $96,190, including $1,200 destination

The Model S debuted in 2012, and since then Tesla has steadily increased the efficiency of its luxury sedan, reducing the amount of energy needed to drive 100 miles from 38 kWh in 2012 to 28 kWh in 2022. There are other changes, including a revised interior for 2021 with a new dashboard layout and steering Yoke instead of a traditional steering wheel. This version of the Model S offers 405 miles of range.

2022 Tesla Model Y Long Range

Energy use: 28 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 122 mpg-e
Price: $60,190, including $1,200 destination

The compact luxury SUV Model Y comes standard with all-wheel drive and a long-range battery pack for 330 miles. Like the Model S, it uses 28 kWh per 100 miles.

2022 Kia EV6 RWD

Energy use: 29 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 117 mpg-e
Price: $42,115, including $1,215 destination

In RWD form, Kia’s new EV6 consumes 29 kWh of energy per 100 miles, and its standard battery provides 232 miles of range, and its long-range battery increases the range to 310 miles. The available AWD option with only the long-range battery drops efficiency to 32kWh and range to 274 miles.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD

Energy use: 30 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 114 mpg-e
Price: $44,895, including $1,245 destination

With a range of 303 miles and an output of 30 kWh per 100 miles, the RWD Ioniq 5 is the most efficient version of Hyundai’s new electric vehicle. Opting for AWD drops efficiency to 34kWh and a range of 256 miles.

2022 Kia e-Niro

Energy use: 30 kWh/100 miles
Combined efficiency: 112 mpg-e
Price: $41,205, including $1,215 destination

All versions of the e-Niro come with FWD and the same high-voltage battery pack for a range of 239 miles. Whether you choose the base EX trim or the EX Premium trim level, the e-Niro uses 30 kWh per 100 miles.

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