How popular EVs stack up when it comes to EV battery range and charging times

Before getting started, it's worth noting that there are a few things that impact the range of an EV. These include weather, road conditions and the way a car is driven.

A standard test used to rate the range of the vehicles is known as the Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).

Each new EV sold locally goes through this test to work out the range it's likely to get in the real world. As an example, Australia’s most popular EV, the Tesla Model Y, has a WLTP starting range of 455 km.

The Tesla Model Y was the most popular electric car in Australia in 2023. Data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) reveals that 28,769 of this popular electric SUV were sold in 2023. This helped the Tesla Model Y become the sixth best-selling vehicle in the country of any fuel type to reach the podium in EV sales.

One of the main reasons behind this popularity is the range the car delivers. Tesla claims that the base rear-wheel-drive variant can get up to 455 km of range.

This is quite good for a spacious family car and comes off the back of many efficiency and technology improvements in these vehicles, including a very efficient heating and cooling system.

The range can also be increased with long-range models, which include a bigger battery, which means fewer charging stops. The Model Y Long Range variant has a WLTP range of 533 km, while the Model Y Performance has an estimated WLTP range of 515 km.

Tesla claims that 261 km of range can be added to the Model Y in just 15 minutes of charging at the right fast charger.

Another Tesla with good range figures is the Tesla Model 3. This EV happens to be Tesla’s most-affordable vehicle in the country and up until 2023, was the brand’s best-selling vehicle.

Being a sedan, the Tesla Model 3’s design allows for improved design efficiencies, compared to other popular SUV EVs.

The official range on Tesla’s website for the updated Tesla Model 3 is a WLTP range of 513 km.

Back in late 2021, the base model only offered 448 km of range but received a battery upgrade bumping it up to 491 km.

The latest base model has seen another bump, right up to the current 513 km. The latest model carries the same battery as the previous model, but a sleeker new car design has allowed Tesla to improve the range.

Like the Model Y, there’s a long-range variant with a larger battery pack, which now gets up to 629 km of range. This is a bump up from the last generation long-variant model’s 602 km range.

With a range figure of over 600 km, it’s one of the longest-range vehicles in the Australian market, thanks to its sleeker aerodynamic design.

Tesla claims that 282 km of range can be added to the Model 3 in just 15 minutes of charging at the right fast charger.

The BYD Atto 3 is an affordable family electric SUV. BYD, despite being such a new brand in Australia, has sold over 12,000 Atto 3 vehicles since launching the model in August 2022.

BYD is particularly well known for its vehicle’s Blade battery technology. The Blade battery is a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery, known for its safety, range and longevity.

BYD’s battery packs are also used by other car makers, including Tesla for some of their Model Y factories.

The Atto 3 is available in 2 models: Standard and Extended. The Standard has a WLTP range of 345 km, while the Extended has a range figure of 420 km.

To achieve this greater driving range, the Extended option has a larger battery than the base model and is ideal for those looking to do a few longer road trips a year.

According to EV Database (evdb), 231 km of range can be added to the Atto 3 in just 37 minutes of charging at the right fast charger.

One of the most affordable EV models in the market, the award-winning MG4 hatchback is big on driving performance.

With its rear-wheel drive powertrain as standard, it's also able to deliver solid range figures.

Starting with the base Excite 51 variant that delivers up to 350 km of range thanks to its 51 kWh battery pack.

The Excite variant is also offered with a larger 64 kWh battery pack, which bumps the base variant’s range by 100 km to a total of 450 km.

There is also a Long Range 77 variant, which offers the largest battery in this electric hatchback, boasting 77 kWh and delivering up to 530 km of range.

The MG4 is mainly suited for city driving and short road trips. The MG4 is supported by a focus on safety features, which has led to a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

MG claims that in its mid-level 64 kWh models, 315 km of range can be added to the MG4 in just 28 minutes of charging at the right fast charger.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge is an all-electric version of the popular XC40 compact SUV. The vehicle is available in two variants, with a Single-Motor rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or a Twin-Motor all-wheel-drive (AWD).

According to Volvo specifications, the RWD variant achieves 460 km of WLTP range while the Twin-Motor variant achieves 500 km thanks to its larger 82 kWh battery capacity.

The previous RWD model offered 425 km of range so the additional 35 km will be appreciated by many drivers.

Volvo as a company is focused on sustainability, with the XC40 Recharge being a step towards this goal. Locally by 2026, Volvo Australia plans to only sell EVs in the market, further pushing its sustainability goals.

Volvo claims that with its Single-Motor variant’s 69 kWh model, 322 km of range can be added to the Volvo XC40 in just 33 minutes of charging at the right fast charger.

With EVs and battery technology continuing to improve, there’s a car suited to many drivers looking at making the switch.

To make it easier to compare, we’ve listed the range of these models into a table below. For more tips and resources, check out the Allianz EV Hub to help give you a head start on your EV journey.

If you’re a new EV owner and it’s your first road trip, you’ll need to plan ahead to get to your destination. Read our tips to help make your first EV road trip a success.