The Tesla Model S won a cold-weather range test in Norway by a landslide, setting a new record in the process.
The electric sedan beat 28 other EVs in the test organized by Norwegian automotive media outlet Motor.no, covering 530 kilometers (329 miles) on a single charge in temperatures varying between -10° and -5° Celsius (14-23° Fahrenheit).
The Tesla lost only 16.4 percent of its claimed WLTP range rating of 634 kilometers (394 miles) and was the only vehicle in the test that managed to pass the 450-kilometer (280-mile) and 500-kilometer (310-mile) marks. The previous record was 521 kilometers (321 miles), and it was set in 2021 by a Tesla Model 3 Long Range.
Interestingly, the Tesla Model S could have gone even further but the vehicle tested could only charge to 98 percent before the start of the test due to a technical reason – all the other cars were charged to 100 percent.
Most of the vehicles tested this year saw their real-world range in cold conditions drop by 20-30 percent compared to their WLTP range ratings. For example, the Mercedes-Benz EQE's range dropped 33.39 percent to 409 kilometers (254 miles), compared to the WLTP rating of 614 kilometers (381 miles).
Gallery: 2021 Tesla Model S
A total of 29 electric vehicles were part of the test – it was the largest one so far – that took place between Norway's capital Oslo and Hjerkinn on a route measuring 365 kilometers (227 miles) one way.
Tesla Model S aside, the vehicles that saw the smallest range losses included the Maxus Euniq 6 (-10.45 percent), MG Marvel R (-16.76 percent), MG 5 (-17.63 percent), Kia EV6 GT (-17.69 percent) and Tesla Model X Plaid (-18.23 percent).
All the other vehicles had range losses of 20 percent or more, with the Toyota bZ4X seeing the biggest drop over the advertised range – 35.79 percent. It's worth noting that some of the vehicles reached the highest elevation on the test route, where temperatures dropped to -19° Celsius (-2.2° Fahrenheit).
Motor.no tested an eclectic mix of vehicles, including several Chinese models that are on sale in Norway, like the Nio ET7, BYD Han, Hongqi E-HS9, Voyah Free, JAC e-JS4, BYD Atto 3, and more. Check the full results in the table below courtesy of Motor.no.
