- The latest iteration of Norway's infamous El Prix winter range test is over, and the results are in.
- Two dozen EVs were tested to see how far they could drive in the freezing cold.
- Then, the participating journalists noted the difference between the rated range and the real-world figure.
Norway is the world’s leader when it comes to electric vehicle adoption. Last year, nine out of 10 new cars sold here were EVs, so they know a thing or two about going electric. The Nordic country also has harsh winters with freezing temperatures, making it the perfect proving ground for pushing EVs to their limits, range-wise.
Here’s where the Norwegian car magazine Motor comes into play. It, together with the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF), has been organizing something called El Prix for six years. It’s billed as the world’s largest EV range test, with a summer edition and a winter run each year.
Yesterday, the latest iteration of the El Prix winter range test happened, and the results are in. In total, 24 brand-new EVs were charged up to full and driven on the same route to see how far they would go until running out of juice. In the end, the journalists noted the differences between the advertised WLTP range figures and the real-world results.
The winner was quite the surprise–no, it wasn’t the refreshed Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive Long Range, despite it having the longest claimed range. In fact, journalists described the American EV as a disappointment, finishing near the bottom of the list, with a huge discrepancy between the WLTP figure and the real-world result. (Europe uses the WLTP testing procedure, while the United States has the EPA procedure.)
The winner, in terms of how little range it lost compared to the official figure, was the Polestar 3. The car in question had a WLTP range of 348 miles and it managed to cover an impressive 330 miles until it could no longer move under its own power. That’s a reduction of just 5% from the spec sheet, and the second-best ever recorded in Motor’s winter range test. (The best result was achieved by the BMW iX3 in 2021, with a 4% negative deviation.)
Next was the BYD Tang, a Chinese-made seven-seater SUV that has a claimed WLTP range of 329 miles. It drove nearly 300 miles before dying–a 9% difference. The all-new Mini Countryman EV finished in third place, with a real-world range loss of 11%.
Tesla had a single entry, the facelifted Model 3. It finished in 21st place out of 24 cars with a 24% difference between the WLTP range rating and the real-world mileage. The only cars that were worse were the Peugeot E-5008, the Voyah Dream and the Peugeot E-3008.
Besides the disappointing result in the range test, the Tesla Model 3 had quite an unusual issue–its onboard trip meter was way off and essentially lied about the distance covered. Motor.no noted that the Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 3 conked out roughly at the same time, with just 800 feet or so between them. As a reminder, all cars started from the same spot.
Gallery: Polestar 3
That said, the Polestar’s trip meter indicated it had traveled 330 miles–a figure confirmed on Google Maps–while the Tesla reported an extra 10 miles. In other words, the Model 3’s driver would think they covered more miles on a full charge than they actually did.
It’s not exactly news that Tesla’s official range figures are among the most optimistic in the industry, and this range test is just another example of that. This doesn’t mean that the Model 3 is a bad car–it’s quite the opposite, in fact–but owners need to be aware that the so-called guess-o-meter that shows the remaining range on the infotainment screen can’t be trusted.
El Prix 2025 Winter Range Test Results
Scroll down to see more entries
| Model | WLTP Range Rating | Real-World Distance Covered | Difference |
| Polestar 3 | 348 miles (560 km) | 330 miles (531 km) | -5% |
| BYD Tang | 329 miles (530 km) | 299 miles (482 km) | -9% |
| Mini Countryman | 247 miles (399 km) | 220 miles (355 km) | -11% |
| Lotus Emeya | 310 miles (500 km) | 271 miles (436 km) | -13% |
| BYD Sealion 7 | 312 miles (502 km) | 271 miles (436 km) | -13% |
| Mercedes-Benz G-Class | 275 miles (443 km) | 237 miles (381 km) | -14% |
| Kia EV3 | 366 miles (590 km) | 310 miles (499 km) | -15% |
| Porsche Taycan | 368 miles (592 km) | 310 miles (499 km) | -16% |
| BYD Seal U | 310 miles (500 km) | 261 miles (421 km) | -16% |
| Hongqi EHS7 | 335 miles (540 km) | 281 miles (452 km) | -16% |
| Smart #3 | 256 miles (415 km) | 215 miles (346 km) | -17% |
| Ford Explorer EV | 326 miles (525 km) | 271 miles (437 km) | -17% |
| NIO EL8 | 312 miles (503 km) | 256 miles (412 km) | -18% |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 339 miles (546 km) | 271 miles (436 km) | -20% |
| BMW i5 Touring | 309 miles (497 km) | 243 miles (392 km) | -21% |
| Volvo EX30 | 293 miles (472 km) | 230 miles (371 km) | -21% |
| Audi Q6 e-tron | 383 miles (616 km) | 299 miles (481 km) | -22% |
| Xpeng G6 | 342 miles (550 km) | 266 miles (329 km) | -22% |
| Porsche Macan | 343 miles (552 km) | 266 miles (429 km) | -22% |
| Volkswagen ID.7 GTX Tourer | 355 miles (571 km) | 273 miles (440 km) | -23% |
| Tesla Model 3 | 436 miles (702 km) | 330 miles (531 km) | -24% |
| Peugeot E-5008 | 303 miles (488 km) | 224 miles (361 km) | -26% |
| Voyah Dream | 299 miles (482 km) | 214 miles (344 km) | -29% |
| Peugeot E-3008 | 317 miles (510 km) | 216 miles (347 km) | -32% |
The weather conditions during the range test were not very kind. Throughout the drive, temperatures were below freezing, and at the beginning of the journey there was freezing rain and the convoy was stuck in line for about an hour. The rest of the day was cloudy, according to NAF.
All EVs lose range in cold weather, just like gas cars use more fuel during the winter. It’s just that some lose more than others, and tests like this show what can be expected from modern EVs.
