Auto Express has named the most efficient electric cars on sale in the UK with Mercedes CLA 250+ and Dacia Spring sharing top spot based on WLTP testing
The UK’s most efficient electric car on sale has been named (stock)(Image: Angel Santana via Getty Images)
With petrol and diesel prices climbing following the outbreak of war in Iran almost three weeks ago, more motorists may be considering switching their fossil fuel vehicle for an electric alternative.
Plenty of options exist on the market for interested buyers. However, not all electric vehicles are identical, especially regarding battery range and overall efficiency.
Occasionally an electric vehicle might be preferable not because it offers the greatest range, but because it delivers superior efficiency, enabling you to employ fewer battery conservation methods.
Respected motoring experts from Auto Express have put together a list of the most efficient electric vehicles available in the UK. They ranked them using the manufacturer’s official WLTP efficiency testing standards, a measurement calculated in how many miles a vehicle can cover per kilowatt hour.
The vehicle that claimed first place was the Mercedes CLA 250+ Sport Edition. It achieved an efficiency rating of five miles-per-kilowatt-hour, the electric equivalent of a diesel or petrol vehicle’s MPG.
Discussing the CLA, a premium electric saloon, Auto Express noted: “Thanks to a new, cutting-edge platform and powertrain, the saloon can cover 483 miles on a charge of its 85.5kWh battery.
“That works out to an incredible 5.0mi/kWh…The Mercedes is also incredibly comfortable and refined, which is ideal for the long motorway journeys.”
In second place was the Dacia Spring Extreme 100, which also achieved an efficiency rating of five miles-per-kilowatt-hour. Whilst the Dacia belongs to a different car segment than the Mercedes, being a city car, it remains an impressive figure.
Regarding the Spring Extreme, Auto Express’s experts commented: “The dinky Dacia Spring is proof that it’s not the size that matters, it’s how you use it.”
Taking third place behind the two European rivals was the Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive with four point eight miles-per-kilowatt-hour.
The American saloon, frequently one of the most impressive models regarding range, provides up to 332 miles of it to prospective buyers.
Auto Express’s assessment of the most efficient electric cars arrives as British motorists, irrespective of what fuel powers their vehicle, could face a new charge targeting larger vehicles such as SUVs.
Campaigners Transport & Environment have urged for a new tax aimed at larger vehicles, arguing those cars cause greater damage because they place more pressure on Britain’s roads due to being heavier.
The campaigners suggested that their new fee would add a flat rate of £10 for every kilogram above 1,600kg.
They argued: “Heavily polluting SUVs are getting an unfair tax break. The current Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) doesn’t reflect the true impact of the biggest, heaviest vehicles on our roads. SUVs now dominate the market-yet many still pay the same or less tax than smaller, cleaner cars.”
This could impact electric cars as many of them can be sold as electric as well as petrol and hybrid variants with electric cars sometimes, but not always, being the heaviest variant due to the batteries and motors onboard.
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