The electric passenger vehicle market in India has evolved substantially over the past few years. Charging infrastructure is slowly but steadily growing across the country, and moreover, EVs themselves have become a lot more affordable and accessible to the masses. In fact, rising fuel prices have also contributed in persuading many Indian car buyers to opt for an electric vehicle. One factor that still bothers some potential buyers is range anxiety, which can make or break a purchase decision.
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In India, there are several EVs that offer a sufficient range on a full charge, enough even for highway runs. On the occasion of World EV Day 2024, We have compiled a list of the top 10 electric cars and SUVs that claim to offer the most range on a single charge in India as per the WLTP cycle.
The first on the list is the Mercedes-Benz EQS luxury sedan. It is available in two variants in India – the AMG EQS 53 4Matic Plus and standard EQS 580. For this list, we are only going to focus on the EQS 580 since it offers a higher range compared to the EQS 53. While both models are powered by a 107.8 kWh battery with motors on both axles, the EQS 580 produces 523 bhp and 855 Nm of torque and offers a WLTP claimed range of 667 km.
The biggest Mercedes-Benz electric SUV on sale in India, the EQS SUV was launched in 2024 at a price of Rs 1.42 crore (ex-showroom). Also available in ultra-luxurious Maybach 680 guise, the EQS SUV has a massive 122 kWh battery, which blesses it with a range of up to 642 km (WLTP).
The Porsche Taycan was the first all-electric vehicle from the German automaker. Earlier this year, India prices for the facelifted version of the Taycan were revealed. Offered in three variants – standard, 4S and Turbo, Porsche has currently only listed prices for the Taycan 4S and Taycan Turbo, which are priced at Rs 1.89 crore and Rs 2.52 crore (ex-showroom) respectively. Porsche claims that the 4S can do up to 642 km with the Performance Plus battery while the Turbo will cover up to 630 km (WLTP). The base model, for which prices haven’t been announced yet will have a range of 678 km (WLTP).
The Porsche Macan EV was the second all-electric vehicle from the company and the first EV SUV. While the price of the more performance-focused Turbo variant (Rs 1.69 crore) was out right after its global debut, the prices of the Standard (Rs 1.22 crore) and 4S models (Rs 1.39 crore) were only revealed recently. While the Standard, 4S and Turbo have a 100 kWh battery pack, the Standard produces a range of 641 km, the 4S has a range of 613 km, while the Turbo can deliver up to 590 km of range.
Launched earlier this year, the BMW iX xDrive50 is the more powerful version of the all-electric SUV, that is also offered with a larger battery pack. Powered by a dual-motor setup on the front and rear axles, the EV produces combined power figures of 530 bhp and 765 Nm of torque, 200 bhp and 135 Nm of torque more than the xDrive40. The SUV is also equipped with a massive 111.5 kWh battery pack that delivers a WLTP range of 635 km.
BMW offers the i7 in two variants in India – the xDrive 60 and M70 xDrive. While the M70 xDrive builds on the i7 xDrive60 and gets the M treatment, packs more power and receives a host of aesthetic upgrades over the other model, it is the xDrive60 that offers a longer WLTP range of 625 km. Powering the xDrive 60 variant is a 101.7kWh lithium-ion battery that produces 544 bhp and 745Nm of peak torque.
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The Eletre is Lotus’ maiden product in India and its first-ever SUV. Sold in three trims in India- Standard, S and R, the SUV features a 112 kWh battery pack in all variants. The R variant is the most powerful model here, powered by a dual motor setup that produces 896 bhp and 985 Nm of torque. The standard and S variants have a maximum range of 600 km (WLTP), while the R variant delivers a lower 490 km.
Launched in 2023, the Audi Q8 e-tron succeeded the e-tron SUV and acquired the 'Q8' prefix to make clear its positioning in the carmaker's portfolio. The Q8 e-tron was also launched in its ‘Sportback’ guise, which refers to the coupe-like roofline on the vehicle. The Q8 55 e-Tron Sportback is the variant with the highest range in the lineup. Featuring a 114 kWh battery pack, the Sportback has a claimed range of up to 600 km (WLTP).
The BMW i4 was the second electric sedan from the brand for India. In our market, the i4 is offered in two variants – the eDrive 35 M Sport and the eDrive 40 M Sport, with the former being powered by a 70.2 kWh battery pack while the latter draws power from an 83.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack sending power to electric motor attached to the rear wheels. The single electric motor on the eDrive 40 M Sport produces 340 bhp and 430 Nm of torque, and the brand claims that the i4 offers a WLTP range of 590 kilometres on a full charge.
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Launched earlier this year, the BYD Seal is the third model brought to Indian shores by BYD, after the e6 and the Atto 3. Upon its launch, the sedan received 500 bookings in just 2 weeks since prices were announced, which is quite remarkable considering the limited demand for EVs in this segment. The Seal is offered in three variants - Dynamic, Premium, and Performance with prices ranging from Rs 41.00 lakh up to Rs 53.00 lakh (ex-showroom). The sedan is offered with two battery pack options- a 61.44 kWh battery pack and a larger 82.56 kWh battery. The Premium, and Performance variants, equipped with an 82.56 kWh battery offer up to 570 km and 520 km (WLTP figures) of range respectively.
