Electric driving

Research: this is the ‘ideal range’ of an electric car

January 19, 2023

The range of an electric car – or the number of miles you can drive with a fully charged battery – continues to be a hot topic. Logical too, since the range determines how “free” you are to drive around without having to charge in between. Charging takes much longer than refueling and can kill your daily schedule. And then just hope that a charging point is available at all on your route or final destination.

Therefore, there are many motorists who do not want to think about a 100% electric car for the time being. For the VZR, it is 41% of surveyed members. But how much range does an electric car need to have to make the switch with confidence? According to the most recent VZR survey, that’s 750 kilometers! In 2019, 75% of members still considered a range around 600 kilometers sufficient.

Apparently, as time goes on and the average range of new electric cars continues to increase, business drivers are also becoming more demanding. According to the VZR survey, a quarter of surveyed members will only settle for a smaller range if charging time is significantly reduced.

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Technology still too expensive

It will be many years before an electric car with a range of 750 kilometers is somewhat affordable to the masses. If that is ever going to happen at all, given the high cost of production, large size and huge weight of a battery needed for this kind of range figure.

Only a few models currently offer such a long driving range according to the official WLTP measurement. The Mercedes-Benz EQS, for example, with a price tag starting at a sloppy 110,000 euros. Or a Lucid Air that even reaches 900 kilometers, but is still much more expensive. If you can afford it, don’t worry about range and, if necessary, just grab another car from your garage to drive long distances carefree.

READ ALSO: Electric car addition in 2023: this is what you have to pay

Soon to be mandatory electric?

In short, those who think that an average electric car with a range of 750 kilometers will be realistic within a few years should adjust their expectations. Moreover, more and more lease drivers are being “forced” by their employer to switch to an electric car, even if the range does not meet their needs.

In the coming years, the pressure on businesses to be more sustainable will continue to increase. To gain insight into the CO2 emissions of business travel in the Netherlands, State Secretary Heijnen (Infrastructure and Water Management) wants all companies with more than 100 employees to map how many business kilometers are driven per employee per year. With mandatory reporting from the larger companies, the next few years will see if CO2 emissions fall to the desired level. If not, additional measures may be taken. The secretary of state is even investigating whether new business cars will be required to be 100% electric starting in 2025, if CO2 reductions are not fast enough.