The Tesla Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) has earned the title of “efficiency king” in a recent range test conducted by U.K.-based publication What Car? The test compared 12 electric vehicles, including 11 new models and a nine-year-old Tesla Model S with over 250,000 miles on the odometer.
The test involved fully charging the vehicles and running them until their batteries were depleted. The efficiency of each car was then calculated by assessing the distance traveled per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy used.
Among the vehicles tested, the Tesla Model 3 RWD emerged as the most efficient, traveling 255 miles and averaging an impressive 4.4 miles per kWh. This figure was significantly better than the Audi Q6 e-tron Launch Edition, which averaged 3.0 miles per kWh.
According to What Car?, the difference in efficiency could translate to significant cost savings for drivers. Tesla Model 3 owners could expect to spend around £508 on electricity for every 10,000 miles driven, while owners of the Audi Q6 e-tron might spend £745 for the same distance.
Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, emphasized that efficiency is becoming a key consideration for EV buyers, particularly as energy prices continue to rise.
Remarkably, the nine-year-old Tesla Model S, despite its high mileage, performed well in the test, traveling 213 miles and outperforming two newer models, the Peugeot e-308 SW and the Mini Cooper SE, which managed 212 and 211 miles, respectively.