Do Gas-Driven or Electric Cars Have Longer Range? (Checked)

There are several reasons to buy an electric vehicle, including not needing to spend on fuel and reduced maintenance.

However, there are some limitations, including the range of electric vehicles.

On this page, you will find how the range of electric vehicles compares to regular gas cars.

Electric and gas cars range comparison:

Electric vehicles offer an average of around 306 miles on a single charge while gas-powered vehicles go a good 300 miles with a full tank. So, you get a bit more mileage on average by choosing an electric car.

From the perspective of needing a refill for a gas-powered vehicle or a recharge for an EV, there is no clear winner as it depends on the specifications of the vehicle.

Research shows that potential buyers are worried most about the range an electric vehicle offers. This concern is put to rest by the improvements in new EV models in the automotive market.

Newer electric cars offer the same or greater range as conventional gas vehicles.

However, for most EVs, the range lies between 304 miles (200-490 km). The minimum range a new EV can offer today is about 124 miles on a single charge.

According to the WLTP-measured data, EVs from automakers like Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia-e-Niro, and Chevrolet Volt offer similar range to that of an average fuel car.

To help put things in perspective, that means an electric vehicle is able to cover an average distance of 242 miles without stopping at a recharging station.

In addition, luxury EV models can go as far as 379 miles on a single charge.

Electric cars are getting more mileage

We do see electric cars getting more and more range.

That said, an electric car also loses some range as the battery gets worn.

Since charging stations are still limited as compared to the growing number of electric vehicles on road, the range of an EV becomes a crucial aspect for many buyers.

Automakers are offering improved ranges with each EV model that arrives in the market.

For instance, the new Lucid Air Dream Edition offers a range upto 520 miles on a single charge.

That’s why automakers make improvements to their electric vehicles with each passing year to make them sustainable as a daily means of transport.

According to a recent survey, EV models already match the range of an average gasoline vehicle, and automakers continue to make improvements to increase the range of electric vehicles since it’s the number one concern of potential buyers in the market.

We are definitely looking into a future where batteries in electric cars are improving much faster.

Do electric cars get better mileage on the highway?

EVs are less economical on the highway than in the city. Gas-powered vehicles perform better on highways. The reason behind that is gearboxes are designed to get maximum fuel consumption at 50-80 kph. Gas vehicles extract the best mileage on highways.

You’ll also see that a Tesla has more range than a gas-driven car.

However, steady speeds are difficult to achieve in the city for gas-powered vehicles due to the constant shifting of gears.

As for electric vehicles, the range increases when you drive from a highway into the city.

That is due to regenerative braking.

In a gasoline-powered vehicle when the brakes are applied, all of the kinetic energy from the movement is converted into heat energy and wasted. Whereas, in electric vehicles, due to regenerative braking, all of the excess energy is stored back in the battery.

Hence, the next time the vehicle accelerates, it utilizes the energy stored through regenerative braking instead of using up its own energy reserves.

Electric vehicles have an improvement in mileage due to conserving energy.

Electric cars save energy due to smart braking

There is a big difference between the deceleration phases of an EV and a conventional vehicle because, in EVs, the vehicle doesn’t use any energy when the throttle pedal is released.

Instead, it stores extra energy due to the process of regenerative braking.

Vehicles are typically driven faster on highways, which means a lot of kinetic energy must be created to push the vehicle against the 80 mph headwind.

EVs drive better in areas where there is considerably less resistance to their motion.

Do electric cars have a longer range when driving in the city?

EVs perform better in the city as the range is reduced on open roads. The regenerative braking in EVs, as mentioned earlier, permits the vehicle to operate under one-pedal driving.

Electric vehicles may seem similar to modern conventional vehicles, but they have multiple differences.

Electric vehicles have an electric motor that generates maximum torque.

The torque stays pretty consistent throughout the motion of the vehicle, and there’s a balanced speed of the vehicle in the city and on the freeway.

Regenerative braking not only stores energy back into the battery when the EV slows down but also provides energy when the EV accelerates.

The same case isn’t for ICE-powered vehicles because they have no source to recycle the energy or a device to add more fuel to the tank every time the vehicle slows down.

All of the kinetic energy created during motion is converted into heat energy and released from the ICE-powered vehicle when it slows down.

Although there’s no physical limitation that makes an electric vehicle less suitable for highway driving than in the city.

But, due to inertia and additional factors such as regenerative braking, EVs offer more range while driving in the city than on highways.

Tesla points to the safety factor when questioned about highway ranges because the vehicle is capable of driving itself on the highway without manual operation.

When will electric cars have better mileage?

A gas-powered vehicle doesn’t always perform better in terms of mileage. 

Older EVs may seem to underperform when it comes to mileage comparison with a gas vehicle, but new EV arrivals in the automotive market have a mileage comparable to any gas vehicle.

As annual improvements are being made to the EV technology, the standard performance and mileage are also improving.

With a full battery, an EV may even exceed its mileage of 300 miles depending on the make, model, and condition of the vehicle.

In addition, EVs have a better battery life than the engine in gas-powered vehicles and automakers continue to improve this condition to make EVs the only sustainable mode of transport for the future.

In addition, like any conventional vehicle, the longevity of an EV is greatly affected by how well the owner takes care of the vehicle.

How long do the best electric cars drive on a charge?

Electric vehicles typically drive around 8 hours with a full charge. The 2022 Tesla Roadster can go 620 official miles on a single charge.

We do see more and more affordable electric cars with really long ranges.

However, that timeline is when the battery goes from 100-0%.

Experts say it’s better to recharge the EV once the battery reaches 20% and not let it reach a complete zero because that can harm the battery of the electric vehicle.

How long do regular gas cars drive on a full tank?

A full tank can get you across 400 miles until you have to top off the tank again. 400 miles can be covered in approximately 5-6 hours, depending on the speed of the vehicle.

The mileage of a conventional vehicle can be reduced if the vehicle is driven through traffic because gas-powered vehicles burn a lot of fuel during gear shifting.

However, if you drive on open roads; with less traffic or freeways, the gas-powered vehicle will cover an average of 300 miles on a full tank in about 4-5 hours.

However, most conventional vehicles will get you another hour of driving if there’s enough fuel in the reserve tank.

Do electric cars get a longer range each year?

A longer range allows the EV to make longer laps between charging stations.

Since the improvements are still being made to new electric vehicles, there are no range limitations for them.

Many automakers consider the 600-mile formula the answer to buyers’ range anxiety and plan to have all-electric vehicles have a range of 600 miles by 2025.

However, the limited amount of charging stations increases the buyers’ desire to buy an EV with a longer range.

Long-lasting batteries in new electric vehicles will allow users to cover longer distances without the need to recharge.

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