There are many different factors that you can look at when comparing electric cars. Economy, or consumption, is one of the things that is most often looked at, especially because low consumption means that you get more kilometers from a full battery and can drive cheaply. Which electric cars are the most economical and what should you take into account when you want to look at this when finding the electric car that suits you best?
The most economical electric car; most kilometers per kWh
It is good to pause for a moment, because things are going wrong in many places. The most economical car is not the car that can travel the furthest on a full battery charge. It is the car that can drive the most kilometers per kWh and that difference is particularly relevant. Many electric cars with low consumption also have a low weight, because the weight has been saved so that the consumption would remain as low as possible. This often means a limited(er) battery pack, which means that these cars do not always have the best range. The Dacia Spring is a poignant example of this. Although it is high on the list of most economical cars, this car never appears in lists of models with an excellent or optimal range.
Consumption is partly determined by the driver
There are a number of factors that play a major role in the fuel efficiency of an electric car. These include: The weight of the car; The electric motor in the car; The weather conditions; The road conditions (for example, hilly terrain); The driving style of the driver. The last factor in particular weighs heavily. If you constantly accelerate quickly and often drive faster than 100 kilometers per hour, the consumption of the electric car is much higher. Even the most fuel-efficient electric car can show enormous consumption. That is why it is good to adjust your driving style, especially if you attach importance to your range or the consumption of the car.
Why was EV fuel efficiency so important before?
There is a caveat when it comes to the most economical electric cars. Previously, the battery packs in electric cars were considerably smaller than they are today. It was also much more difficult to find a charging station (certainly a working charging station that you could also activate with your charging card or trickle). This caused stress, also called range anxiety. The consumption of the electric car was therefore extremely relevant, because it could ensure that you could get from A to B.
Does this still apply?
Nowadays, battery packs are considerably larger and it is easy to find a fast charger or public AC charging station to charge your battery. That does not necessarily mean that the consumption of the electric car is irrelevant. For example, there are still many people who want to drive as cheaply as possible. An economical electric car is then the best option, because even with a charging station at home, cheap electric driving is mainly possible with an economical electric car.
A number of economical electric cars in a row
There are many lists of the most economical electric cars in a row, but it is questionable how the list is drawn up. That is why the lists are often not the same, while you would think that this should be the case. It all depends on what the makers have looked at, because many car models have different models with different consumption, and the gap between the actual and stated range is often also large. That is why the following most economical electric cars of 2024 are listed below each other, but not in order. If you want to use the list to select a model, then look especially at the specifications of the model you have in mind. Of course, the dealer can help you with this.
The most economical electric cars of 2024 are:
- Mini Electric
- Hyundai Kona Electric
- Dacia Spring
- Tesla Model 3
These models have a consumption of about 15 kWh per 100 kilometers (with normal use and normal conditions). For comparison, an Audi e-tron consumes about 25 kWh to travel 100 kilometers.
