Chart Of BEVs With EPA Range By Vehicle Class Reveals Interesting Pattern

When it comes to all-electric cars, their driving range varies a lot between the models, depending on efficiency and battery capacity.

The Department of Energy (DOE)’s Vehicle Technologies Office recently published a very interesting chart, which throws new light on the offer by comparing three main vehicle classes – cars, SUVs, and pickups.

The chart includes the EPA Combined range of 2022 model-year battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).

BEVs classified as cars offer the widest driving range selection from 100 to 520 miles. That’s not strange, as this is the oldest and largest class. There are a few entry-level models (about 100 miles of EPA range), a small number of very long-range models (from almost 400 to over 500 miles), and a big group of 200-350 miles BEVs.

In the case of vehicles categorized as sport utility vehicles (SUVs), the number of models is lower and the window of the driving range is narrower – from 180 to 350 miles. We guess that there is an explanation for that – at the upper end, higher energy consumption than in the case of cars makes it more difficult/expensive to reach 400-500 miles of range. On the lower end, there is probably no market for 100-150 miles of range.

The pickup category was pretty slim in the 2022 model year and the driving range selection is even narrower than in the SUV category. Because an electric truck must be ready for various tasks and its range might drop significantly when towing or hauling, we also do not expect low values (there might be a niche for some fleets when less than 250 miles is enough).

It will be very interesting to see how this chart will change in the following years. The center of gravity for each vehicle class reveals to us what manufacturers think is the right proposition for the market, but does not necessarily mean that this is what customers want.

In one of the previous reports, we saw that the long-range models are responsible for the majority of sales. It suggests that manufacturers will gradually adapt and we will see a shift to the right.

“Note: Range is based on Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Does not include plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Fueleconomy.gov website, accessed April 10, 2023.”