China vs the world: electric cars put to the ultimate range test

Carwow took six of the newest EVs on sale and drove them until their batteries were completely drained and they stopped. But which cars lasted the longest? We put this to the test.

So, the Carwow team is back together, and this time for a road trip up to Scotland…

One of the most important things to consider if you’re looking to buy an electric car is its range – how far you can drive it on a single charge. To find out which of the latest electric cars can go the farthest, we drove these cars until their batteries died. And you’ll see there’s some fresh faces in there from Chinese brands that you may not have even heard of.

• Leapmotor C10
• Xpeng G6
• BYD Sealion 7
• Skoda Enyaq Coupe
• Kia EV3
• Tesla Model Y

Curious about which EVs went the distance and if any of these Chinese contenders were crowned the ultimate range champion? Watch the video below to see how the cars fared in Carwow’s latest electric car range test:

Before the test, each car was charged up to 100% overnight. And to make it as scientific as possible, each car was driven in a similar way on exactly the same route – starting at a service station on the outskirts of Oxford, and taking the A43 and the M1 all the way up to Scotland. Each car only peeled off the motorway when it was about to run out of charge.

What are the EVs in this range test?

All six of the cars we drove for the range test are electric SUVs and are the longest-range versions that are available on sale today. Let’s see what each of these have to offer.

Leapmotor C10

First up, let’s take a look at Leapmotor C10. It has a 70kWh battery pack and a single electric motor providing rear-wheel drive. This electric car starts at £36,500 and has a WLTP range of up to 263 miles.

The Leapmotor C10 has good visibility up front thanks to its elevated driving position. It’s also relatively comfy on smooth roads and at low speeds. However, you have to control everything through the touchscreen and it feels unsettled on poor road surfaces.

BYD Sealion 7

Next we have the BYD Sealion 7. It has a 90kWh battery pack and comes with dual electric motors and all-wheel drive. It tips the scales at 2,435kg, has 520 litres of boot space, and has a claimed range of 312 miles in its Excellence version. It will, however, set you back £59,000.

The Sealion 7 has got a stylish design, with comfy seats and lovely leather. There’s also decent storage spaces and a wireless cooled 50W phone charger. However, I think the infotainment isn’t as slick, sharp or quick to respond as the Tesla Model Y’s and it wallows and leans in bends.

Xpeng G6

The XPeng G6 has a 84kWh battery with a claimed range of up to 354 miles. It also has a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive, and a starting price of £45,000 for the long range version.

This one is more luxurious compared to the Leapmotor, and it has a crisp infotainment and clear digital driver’s display. And although most things are done through the touchscreen, it gives you the option to change the temperature and fan speed on the steering wheel. But like many Chinese cars, it drives a bit jiggly and leans in the bends.

Skoda Enyaq Coupe

Moving on from Chinese cars to one made in Europe. The Skoda Enyaq Coupe has a 77kWh battery which Skoda claims will give it a range of 365 miles. It also has a single motor with 286hp, and has a starting price of around £46,000.

Driving this Skoda, compared to the Chinese makes, feels more natural and goes over bumps well. But while the interior design looks nice and the overall quality is good, there are some plasticky parts. But I do feel the infotainment system seems a bit laggy, and isn’t as high-tech as the ones in the Chinese cars.

Kia EV3

Up next we have the Kia EV3. It has a 78kWh battery with a claimed range of up to 375 miles. It also has a single motor with 204hp, and the longest-range Air model has a starting price of £36,005.

One of the things I really like about the Kia EV3 is that it still has physical controls for the fans and the temperature. The practicality is pretty good too, and it’s smooth and comfortable to drive. However, the materials feel a bit cheap on the entry-model version, and there’s a bit of wind noise at higher speeds.

Tesla Model Y

Last but not least, we have the Tesla Model Y. The long-range version has a 75kWh battery and a single electric motor with 308hp driving the rear wheels. This version also costs £48,990 and it has a claimed range of up to 387 miles. So, on paper, this is the car that should go the furthest on our test.

First off, the Model Y has a brilliant infotainment screen which is bright, sharp, and quick to respond. It also has a firm but composed suspension compared to the BYD, even if that has more power. One small thing I do find quite frustrating is that you have to change gears through the touchscreen… Bring back the stalk behind the steering wheel!

So, who came out on top? You can see the results in this test in the table below:

What about the EVs up against a petrol?

The electric cars were not alone in their journey up to Scotland – we also had an Audi RS Q8 on the road. This SUV has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo mild hybrid engine and costs a whopping £154,850. The reason why we brought it along for the ride is that we wanted to see how a petrol fared against all the EVs in terms of range.

By the end of the range test, the Audi RS Q8 did 433 miles on a full tank. It also drove for 20 miles when it said that it didn’t have any range remaining, and averaged around 24.8mpg.

Here’s a full breakdown of the total journey costs for each EV on home charging and on fast charging:

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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