The EV market in India has seen a substantial rise over the past few years. The charging infrastructure is no longer scarce, and moreover, EVs themselves have become a lot more affordable and accessible to the masses. In fact, rising fuel prices have also contributed in persuading a lot of Indian car buyers to consider electric vehicles. But the only thing plaguing EV buyers is range anxiety, which can hinder the decision for many potential customers.
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In India, there are quite a few EVs that offer a sufficient range on a single charge, enough even for highway runs. We have compiled a list of the top six electric cars and SUVs that claim to offer the most range on a single charge in India. One thing worth noting is that the ranking is based on the WLTP cycle that a brand claims.
The first on the list is the Mercedes-Benz EQS luxury sedan. It is available in two variants in India – the AMG EQS 53 4Matic Plus and standard EQS 580. For this list, we are only going to focus on the EQS 580 since it offers a higher range compared to the EQS 53. While both models are powered by a 107.8 kWh battery with motors on both axles, the EQS 580 produces 523 bhp and 855 Nm of torque and offers a WLTP claimed range of 667 km.
BMW offers the i7 in two variants in India – the xDrive 60 and M70 xDrive. While the M70 xDrive builds on the i7 xDrive60 and gets the M treatment, packs more power and receives a host of aesthetic upgrades over the other model, it is the xDrive60 that offers a longer WLTP range of 625 kms. Powering the xDrive 60 variant is a 101.7kWh lithium-ion battery that produces 544 bhp and 745Nm of peak torque.
The BMW i4 was the second electric sedan from the brand for India. In our market, the i4 is offered in two variants – the eDrive 35 M Sport and the eDrive 40 M Sport, with the former being powered by a 70.2 kWh battery pack while the latter draws power from an 83.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack sending power to electric motor attached to the rear wheels. The single electric motor on the eDrive 40 M Sport produces 340 bhp and 430 Nm of torque, and the brand claims that the i4 offers a WLTP range of 590 kilometers on a single charge.
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The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the most expensive electric SUV from the German automaker for the Indian market and is only available in one variant. The EQE arrives as a CBU import, with the vehicle being manufactured at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Alabama, USA, hence the hefty price tag. The SUV has a 90.6 kWh lithium-ion battery that powers two permanent magnet motors producing 402 bhp and 858 Nm of torque. Moreover, the brand says the EQE 500 4MATIC offers a range of up to 550 kms (WLTP cycle).
The Volvo C40 Recharge is built on the same platform as the XC40 Recharge, however, it's the first car from the brand that doesn't have a combustion engine powered counterpart. It has a similar 78 kWh battery pack as the XC40 Recharge, but due to its aerodynamic design, it has an improved claimed WLTP range of up to 530 kilometres. For the Indian market, Volvo offers the C40 Recharge in the twin motor guise with an AWD system that develops 403 bhp and 660 Nm of peak torque. The SUV's claimed 0-100 kmph time is 4.7 seconds and it's limited to a top speed of 180 kmph. The C40 Recharge can be fast charged at up to 150 kW, allowing it to juice up from 10 to 80 per cent in 37 minutes.
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The Kia EV6 is the brand’s first electric model in India and is also its flagship EV. The EV6 is offered in two variants – the GT-Line and the GT-Line AWD. Both these models are powered by a sole 77.4kWh battery pack. It is available in a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive guise making 229hp and 350Nm of torque, and in a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive guise making 325hp and 605Nm. The maximum range for the EV6 is 528km on the WLTP cycle.
