Mercedes EQS hatchback review
The longest-range electric cars on sale today
Thanks to improving battery tech, EVs can travel further than ever before – these are the 10 with the longest range
There has never been a better time to own an electric car; the charging network in the UK is expanding, charging times are falling and the cars themselves are often just as good to drive – if not better – than their combustion-engined counterparts. But there’s an overhanging concern that weighs on the mind of many potential EV customers – range.
It’s called ‘range anxiety’ and it’s a reasonable concern to have when buying an electric car. Running out of charge mid-journey could leave you stranded – you can’t exactly grab a jerry can of electricity and head back on the road. That being said, the electric cars of today can travel further than ever before. Manufacturers are locked in a battery-powered arms race, offering models with ever-increasing ranges to win over even the most sceptical of customers.
We’ve compiled a list of the electric cars with the longest ranges on sale today. As expected, most have very large batteries, bringing with them an equally large price tag, but there are still a few family cars that sneak into the top 10. We’ve provided the official WLTP range figure for each model to provide a fair comparison, but be warned, you’re unlikely to achieve this quoted range in real-world driving conditions, particularly not in wintry weather.
The longest-range electric cars
Here are the longest-range electric cars currently on sale in the UK. If electric-only power isn’t for you, we also have a list of the best plug-in hybrid cars on sale.
- Range of up to 481 miles
- Priced from around £100,000
The flagship of the Mercedes electrified line-up, the EQS is a luxury limousine that can chauffeur passengers across the entire country and back on a single charge. The mid-range 450+ rear-wheel-drive model has up to 481 miles of range, achieved using its enormous 107.8kWh battery and super-slippery aerodynamic bodywork.
Taking a step inside, the EQS stands on the leading edge of in-car technology. The 1.4-metre wide ‘Hyperscreen’ infotainment system is the best in the business and steals the infotainment crown from Tesla. With an opulent interior befitting the car’s hefty price, the EQS sits at the pinnacle of the electric car world, in terms of both luxury and range.
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- Range of up to 437 miles
- Priced from around £52,000
The Volkswagen ID.7 is the flagship of the brand’s electric car lineup, and it has a suitably enormous electric range. Pro S Match models get an 86kWh battery which, thanks to the ID.7’s smooth bodywork, can provide up to 437 miles of range. It costs around £4,000 to upgrade to this model from the base car, but that’ll be a no-brainer for those who regularly do longer trips in their EV.
Depending on how you look at it, the Volkswagen ID.7 is either great value or rather expensive. You get a lengthy range for half the price of the Mercedes EQS above, but the interior feels bland for an executive car of this price. Cars like the Polestar 2, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and BYD Seal feel more upmarket and special, but if range is your priority, the ID.7 is the electric saloon to have.
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- Range of up to 435 miles
- Priced from around £46,000
Peugeot’s latest mid-size SUV, the E-3008, is even more stylish than its predecessor, arriving with a chiselled exterior and a trendy coupe-esque roofline. The French firm has had a good tinker under the skin, too, and delivered an electric drivetrain that achieves up to 435 miles of range. That’s the longest range in its class, beating the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Skoda Enyaq by quite some margin.
The E-3008 continues to impress inside with its futuristic and well-appointed interior. The 21-inch display is as good to use as it is to look at, while the driver is surrounded by a swooping dashboard that features premium materials. It really is class-leading, so it’s a shame that the E-3008 is let down by an overly-harsh ride. We think the E-3008 leans too far towards sportiness over comfort, which is a puzzling decision for what is a family SUV. Still, if you can get past that, the E-3008’s mighty range will make it one of the easiest electric SUVs to live with.
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- Range of up to 429 miles
- Priced from around £69,000
We haven’t put the same car on here twice; the Mercedes EQE may look very similar to the EQS – and it even sits on the same platform – but it’s slightly smaller and much less expensive. You can consider it an electric version of the popular petrol, diesel and hybrid-powered E-Class – although the EQE is not as practical.
It’s the entry-level EQE 350+ model that achieves the longest range of the lineup, with the sportiest AMG models sacrificing over 100 miles for improved performance. But it’s important to pay attention to the size of the wheels, as the headline 429-mile figure is only applicable to the EQE 350+ fitted with 19-inch alloys. The EQE can charge at up to 170kW, and a slightly less powerful charger will top up the battery to 80% in around half an hour.
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- Range of up to 421 miles
- Priced from around £87,000
Since its debut in 2019, the Porsche Taycan has been the EV of choice for driving enthusiasts. It delivers an excellent driving experience from behind the wheel that stays true to the German brand’s sporty DNA. Following a mid-life update in 2024, the Taycan is now one of the most usable electric cars, too, with a maximum range of 421 miles – a significant improvement over the original car.
In typical Porsche fashion, there are a myriad of Taycan models to pick from, but the headline range figure is achieved by the cheapest of the lot – so long as you upgrade to the 97kWh ‘Performance Battery Plus’. Even in this guise, the Taycan is expensive, but the interior certainly lives up to that price tag with cutting-edge digital tech and superb fit and finish.
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- Range of up to 415 miles
- Priced from around £49,000
It shows just how far that battery technology has progressed over the past few years that a seven-seater family SUV can break into a list of the longest-range EVs. The Peugeot E-5008 is the bigger sibling to the E-3008, packing a cavernous interior with room for seven. The long-range single-motor model can travel up to 415 miles on a charge, far surpassing the next best seven-seater electric family car.
Unlike the E-3008, the E-5008 is perfectly comfortable on British roads, feeling at home on both motorway trips and on short stints around town. You get the same stunning interior as the E-3008, with the added benefit of an extra pair of seats and a bigger boot. It’ll cost you a few thousand pounds more, but at least you won’t sacrifice much range.
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- Range of up to 408 miles
- Priced from around £45,000
One of the first electric cars to give Tesla something to worry about, the Polestar 2 is just as compelling a family today as it was when it launched in 2020. There have been various upgrades and changes to the lineup in that time, with the Long Range Single Motor model achieving a claimed range of up to 408 miles.
The Polestar 2 uses a practical five-seat, five-door hatchback layout, cocooning its passengers in a sturdy and well-equipped interior. A Tesla Model 3 has more space in the rear seats, but the Polestar makes up for that with a bigger, more usable boot. When you’re not busy shuttling the kids to school, the Polestar 2 is great fun to throw along a twisty road, too, with excellent body control and plenty of EV performance.
It’s let down slightly by a firm ride, made even worse if you opt for the Performance Pack. We’d recommend sticking to the entry-level model – its 343-mile range is plenty for most drivers – but the 408-mile model is there for those who like the sound of travelling from London to Edinburgh on a single charge.
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- Range of up to 403 miles
- Priced from around £70,000
If you’ve been won over by the Polestar 2 above but need something a tad roomier, you’re in luck. The new Polestar 3 takes the same slick Scandinavian design and impressive EV tech and applies it to a more traditional SUV shape, albeit with a claimed performance-focused edge. Having driven the 3, we don’t think it delivers a particularly sporty driving experience, but it’s still a good electric SUV, helped by its 403-mile range.
Underneath the neat styling, the Polestar 3 rides on the same platform as the new Volvo EX90 but delivers the lengthier range of the two. The 3 is more affordable, too, although you’d struggle to call it cheap – the entry-level single-motor model starts from £70,000. At least it feels like a premium product inside; the materials are of excellent quality and you get a trendy minimalist design, although a few more physical controls would have been nice.
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- Range of up to 401 miles
- Priced from around £129,000
Despite being one of the largest SUVs on the road, the Mercedes EQS SUV achieves a mighty range of just over 400 miles. That’s partly due to its mammoth 118kWh battery which is one of the largest of any car on sale today, contributing to a 2.8-tonne kerb weight. The price tag is equally titanic, starting at around £129,000 and stretching to over £200,000 for the luxurious Maybach version.
As expected, the cabin of the EQS SUV is nothing short of exceptional, with luxurious seats, cutting-edge tech and beautifully-finished materials. With seven seats fitted as standard – apart from the luxury-focused Maybach – the EQS SUV works as a practical family car, and you’ll struggle to find a more comfortable motorway cruiser. Performance is adequate for the entry-level models, but it’s far from engaging – you’ll need to step up to the 580 model for a bit more oomph.
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- Range of up to 392 miles
- Priced from around £61,000
Audi is on a serious push to electrify its range, and the new Q6 e-tron is its latest mid-size battery-powered SUV. Starting from a clean-sheet design, Audi has managed to squeeze an impressive 392 miles of range from the 95kWh battery pack, putting it ahead of rivals such as the BMW iX and Porsche Macan Electric. There’s a lot going for the Q6 e-tron in other areas, too, including its hi-tech cabin, spacious rear seats and decent boot, although there’s no getting around the hefty price tag.
On the move, the Q6 e-tron is as refined as you’d hope from a premium SUV, insulating passengers from the worst of wind and tyre noise. What the Q6 e-tron is not, however, is sporty – it feels every bit of its 2.3-tonne kerb weight and offers little in the way of feedback. For some, that’ll be a positive thing, but if you want something a bit more engaging at the cost of range, the Macan Electric is a better option.
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Not ready to go fully-electric? Read our top 10 list of the best plug-in hybrid cars…
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