What the numbers mean

Range is measured on a standard laboratory test so that different cars can be compared fairly. It's the most useful single number when comparing EVs, but it's a test result, not a promise, and which test was used matters a lot.

Check the label next to the number. EPA is the US test and the strictest. WLTP (Europe) usually reads about 10–20% higher than EPA for the same car, and CLTC (China) about 20–30% higher. Never compare an EPA figure directly with a WLTP or CLTC one.

Real driving is different. Steady highway driving at 70–75 mph usually gives less than the EPA figure, often 10–25% less. Cold hurts most: below freezing, heating the cabin and the battery can cut range by roughly 20–40%. Big wheels, roof racks, towing, heavy loads and hills reduce it too. Gentle city driving, where the car recovers energy as it slows down, can match or even beat the rating.

How much do you need? The average American drives about 37 miles a day, and most EV owners charge at home overnight, so daily range is rarely a problem. Range matters most on road trips. There you'll usually drive between about 10% and 80% charge (the fastest part of the battery to refill), so the useful distance between fast-charging stops is roughly 70% of the rated range, and less at highway speed.

MPGe stands for miles per gallon equivalent. The US EPA counts 33.7 kWh of electricity as one gallon of gasoline, because that's how much energy a gallon holds. A car rated at 100 MPGe travels 100 miles on 33.7 kWh.

Higher is better. An efficient EV costs less to run, adds more miles for every minute it charges, and needs a smaller, lighter, cheaper battery for the same range. The EVs we list run from under 50 MPGe for the heaviest trucks to around 140 for the most aerodynamic sedans.

Two handy conversions: kWh per 100 miles = 3,370 ÷ MPGe, and miles per kWh = MPGe ÷ 33.7. So 120 MPGe is about 28 kWh per 100 miles, or 3.6 miles per kWh. Your electricity bill is in kWh, so this is what sets your running cost.

The EPA measures the electricity drawn from the wall, so the energy lost while charging is already included. It reflects what you actually pay for.

EVs use far less energy than gas cars: a gas car that gets 28 mpg uses about four times as much energy to travel as far as a 115-MPGe EV.

MPGe only exists for cars tested by the EPA, so rows using WLTP or CLTC don't have one.

This is how long a typical road-trip charging stop takes: you arrive with about 10% left and leave with 80%. Carmakers quote this window because charging is fastest in the middle of the battery and slows sharply above about 80%.

It assumes ideal conditions: a DC fast charger powerful enough for the car, a battery at the right temperature, and a charger that isn't sharing its power with the car next to you. In cold weather it can take much longer unless the battery is warmed first. Most EVs do this automatically when you navigate to a fast charger using the car's built-in maps.

It has nothing to do with charging at home. Home charging is much slower (hours rather than minutes), but it happens while you sleep. Fast charging is for road trips, and it often costs two to three times as much per kWh.

As a rough guide, under 20 minutes is very quick, 20–30 minutes is good and over 40 minutes is slow. But minutes alone don't tell the whole story: a car that fills a small battery quickly may add fewer miles than a slower car with a big one. Miles per charge-minute combines both.

Charging slows sharply once a battery is about 80% full. As the cells fill up, the car deliberately cuts the charging power to protect them from heat and wear, a bit like filling a glass slowly near the top so it doesn't overflow.

That's why the last 20% often takes about as long as the whole 10–80% stretch. On a road trip it's usually quicker to leave at 80% and stop again later than to wait for 100%.

Charge to 100% when you really need the range, such as before a long trip, or routinely if the car has an LFP battery and the maker recommends it. For everyday driving, most carmakers suggest a limit of about 80–90% for nickel-based batteries (NMC, NCA and NCMA).

Carmakers rarely publish this figure, so it's often blank here.

We work this out as 70% of the rated range (the distance a 10–80% charge adds) divided by the 10–80% charging time. It combines charging power and efficiency into one number that answers the real road-trip question: how long will I be stopped?

Higher is better. At 10 miles per minute, a 15-minute stop adds about 150 miles; at 5 miles per minute, the same stop adds about 75.

It's an average across the whole 10–80% session. Charging is fastest when the battery is low and slows toward 80%, so a short stop from a low battery can add a bit more than this suggests.

Because it's based on rated range, only compare it between cars rated on the same test.

Charging power is voltage multiplied by current. Double the voltage and the car can take the same power with half the current, which means less heat, thinner and lighter cables and, the part you notice, fast charging that stays fast for longer.

Most EVs use a 400-volt system, which is mature and cheaper. 800-volt systems (and Lucid's, which runs at over 900 volts) are found on cars built for very fast charging and can often take 250–350 kW at the right charger.

The catch: many older fast chargers, including a lot of Tesla Superchargers, are built around 400 volts. An 800-volt car has to convert the voltage there and may charge well below its best. The 10–80% charging time is the number that shows the real result.

Voltage makes little difference to range or to how the car drives; it's a charging feature.

North America has two fast-charging plugs. NACS (now standardized as SAE J3400) is the compact plug Tesla designed, and most carmakers are switching to it, starting with 2025 and 2026 models. CCS1 is the larger plug most other brands used before that. China uses its own GB/T standard, and the Nissan Leaf used Japan's older CHAdeMO plug until 2026.

Adapters bridge the gap: a CCS1 car can use Tesla Superchargers with the carmaker's approved adapter, and an NACS car can use CCS1 chargers with an adapter too. Some charging companies are adding both cables at the same station.

At home the plug matters less. CCS1 cars accept standard J1772 home chargers directly, and NACS cars can use them with a small adapter, so nearly any home charger will do.

We list the plug fitted to the US version of each car. In Europe the same car usually has a CCS2 socket.

Tesla's Supercharger network is the largest fast-charging network in North America and is known for its reliability. Since 2024 Tesla has opened most of it to other brands whose carmakers signed agreements.

Yes means the car can charge there: directly if it has a built-in NACS port, or with the carmaker's approved adapter if it has a CCS1 port. You start and pay through the Tesla app or the car's own app, and drivers of other brands usually pay a little more per kWh unless they buy a Tesla charging membership.

Older Supercharger stations (V2) still only work with Teslas. The Tesla app shows which stations your car can use.

No means we don't know of Supercharger access for this car, so road trips rely on networks such as Electrify America, EVgo and ChargePoint. Check their coverage on the routes you drive.

Every battery on this site is lithium-ion. What differs is the cathode, the positive side of each cell, and the metals in it give each chemistry its name.

The big trade-off is between the nickel-rich chemistries (NMC, NCA and NCMA), which pack more energy into less weight for more range, and LFP, which is cheaper, lasts longer and tolerates heat better, but is heavier for the same range and weaker in the cold.

Numbers such as 811 in "NMC 811" give the metal ratio: 8 parts nickel to 1 part manganese to 1 part cobalt. More nickel means more energy and less cobalt (an expensive metal), but a cell that needs more careful temperature control.

4680 and 4695 describe a cell's size, not its chemistry: cylinders 46 mm wide and 80 or 95 mm tall. Bigger cells mean fewer parts and a simpler, cheaper battery. The chemistry inside is usually nickel-rich.

Solid-state batteries replace the liquid inside the cell with a solid material, promising more range and better safety. As of 2026 they aren't in mass-produced cars yet.

Every chemistry here is used safely in cars on sale today: each car's cooling and battery-management system is designed around the chemistry it uses. Batteries also wear more slowly than many people expect, and most EV batteries sold in the US come with a warranty of at least 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), the same unit as your electricity bill. One kWh is the energy a 1,000-watt appliance uses in an hour, roughly a microwave running for an hour.

We list usable capacity: the energy the car actually lets you use. Carmakers keep a small hidden reserve to protect the battery, so the "gross" figure some brochures quote is a few kWh higher.

Bigger isn't automatically better. A bigger battery gives more range, but it's heavier, more expensive and takes longer to fill. Range is capacity multiplied by efficiency, so an efficient car with a mid-size battery can go as far as a less efficient one with a huge battery.

Charging at home: a typical 240-volt home charger (about 7–11 kW) adds very roughly 20–45 miles of range per hour and refills most EVs overnight. A regular 120-volt household outlet adds only about 3–5 miles per hour: enough if you drive little, too slow for most people.

Batteries slowly lose capacity with age, on average around 1–2% a year. Heat, frequent fast charging and sitting at 100% for long periods speed this up.

With Vehicle-to-Load, the car becomes a large portable power bank. You plug ordinary appliances into outlets in the cabin, trunk or truck bed, or into an adapter that fits the charge port.

Most V2L systems supply about 1.9–3.6 kW: enough for a fridge, a coffee maker, power tools, lights or laptops, but not a whole house. Some pickup trucks offer much more (9.6 kW or beyond).

Typical power draws: a phone charger 10–20 W, a laptop about 60 W, a fridge 150–400 W while its compressor runs, and a coffee maker or microwave about 1,000–1,500 W. Add up what you want to run at the same time and keep it under the car's limit.

It's handy for camping, tailgating, work sites and power cuts. The car stops supplying power at a battery level you choose, so you can still drive away.

Related terms: V2H (vehicle-to-home) powers your house through extra equipment installed at home, and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) sends power back to the grid. Neither is covered by this spec.

The levels come from SAE International's standard J3016. They describe who is responsible for driving, not how impressive the system feels. The line that matters is between Level 2 and Level 3: at Level 2 you are always the driver; at Level 3 the car is, within strict limits.

Level 2 systems steer, brake and accelerate at the same time (adaptive cruise control plus lane centering), but you must watch the road constantly and be ready to take over instantly.

Level 2+ isn't an official SAE level. It's the industry's name for Level 2 systems that do more: hands-free driving on mapped highways, automatic lane changes, or following a route through city streets. A camera usually checks that you're watching the road, and you remain fully responsible.

Level 3 lets you take your eyes off the road in specific conditions, typically slow traffic on approved highways, and do something else, like watch a video. You must take back control when the car asks. Very few cars offer it, and only in certain places.

Level 4 needs no driver at all within a defined area, like the robotaxis operating in some cities. No car sold for private use offers it today, so a Level 4 label here refers to a robotaxi or to the maker's stated plans.

Many advanced systems need a paid subscription after a free trial, and some only work on roads the carmaker has mapped.

Every carmaker markets its system under its own name: Autopilot, Super Cruise, BlueCruise, Highway Driving Assist and so on. The names follow no standard, and some sound more capable than they are.

To know what a system really does, look at its level and ask three questions. Is it hands-free? On which roads does it work? Does it need a subscription after the trial?

Features can change with over-the-air software updates, so a car can gain abilities over time, or lose some if a subscription lapses.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price: the list price of this trim before options. What you actually pay is usually higher. Add a destination (delivery) fee, commonly $1,000–$2,000 on EVs, plus sales tax, registration and any options or dealer add-ons.

It can also end up lower. Dealers may discount, and some states, cities and utilities offer EV rebates or incentives, so check what's available where you live.

Lease and finance deals can change the real cost a lot, especially on slower-selling EVs, so compare monthly costs as well as the sticker price.

For cars that aren't sold in the US, the price is converted from the home-market price, so treat it as a rough guide only.

A $45,000 car with 300 miles of range costs $150 per mile of range; a $60,000 car with the same range costs $200. Lower means more range for your money.

It's a quick value check, not a verdict. It ignores comfort, features, charging speed and efficiency, so use it to spot bargains rather than to choose a car on its own.

Only compare it between cars rated on the same range test.

NHTSA, the US road-safety regulator, crashes new cars into a barrier head-on, hits them from the side with a sled and a pole, and measures how likely they are to roll over. Each test gets one to five stars, and the overall rating combines them. More stars means a lower chance of serious injury.

Compare frontal-crash stars only between cars of similar size and weight: a five-star small car and a five-star pickup don't protect you equally if they hit each other.

EVs tend to do well on rollover, because their heavy battery sits low in the floor.

Not rated means NHTSA hasn't tested that car, which is common for expensive, low-volume models. It isn't a sign the car is unsafe. The IIHS, a separate insurance-industry tester, runs its own crash tests and awards.

A recall means the carmaker or NHTSA found a defect that affects safety. Owners are notified, and the fix is free: at a dealer, or for many EVs, by an over-the-air software update with no visit at all.

The number of recalls isn't a reliability score. Brand-new models, big sellers and carmakers that report cautiously all tend to have more. What matters on a used car is whether its recalls were done.

The list here covers the model year as a whole. To check one car, enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: it shows only the recalls that apply to that car and whether they're still open.

A few recalls tell owners to park outside or not to drive until the fix is made. Those are marked here, and they're the ones to act on straight away.

Carmakers usually start selling a new model year months before that calendar year begins, so a 2026 car can be on sale in the middle of 2025.

Specs can change between model years even when the car looks the same: a new battery supplier, a different charge port, updated driver assistance or a new price. That's why each model year has its own row here.

When you shop, check that the model year you're offered matches the one you researched. It matters most for used cars, where an older year may have less range, slower charging or a different plug.

Most models come in several trims: for example, a cheaper single-motor version with a smaller battery and a pricier dual-motor version with a bigger one. Range, charging speed and price can differ a lot between trims of the same car, so compare trims, not just models.

We list each trim once, under the carmaker's own name for it. Options that don't make a different car (wheel and tire choices, a faster home-charging module, a third seat row, appearance and performance packs) are folded into the trim rather than listed as cars of their own.

The range shown is the trim's best official figure, which usually means its smallest wheels. That's the number carmakers advertise. Bigger wheels look sportier but usually cost range (commonly around 5–10%) because they're heavier and less aerodynamic, so if you want the larger wheels, expect a little less than the figure listed.

Electric motors are compact, so many EVs put one on each axle to get all-wheel drive, and some performance models use three or four. More motors generally means more grip and faster acceleration, and also more weight, a higher price and usually a little less range.

For most people it comes down to weather and budget. A single motor (rear- or front-wheel drive) is the efficient, affordable default. All-wheel drive is worth considering if you often drive in snow or on slippery roads, though good winter tires matter more than the number of driven wheels.

On EVs, AWD and Dual-Motor almost always mean the same thing: one motor driving the front wheels and one driving the rear.

Available means the car is on sale, though stock, wait times and the trims on offer vary by region and dealer.

Upcoming means the carmaker has announced the car but it isn't on sale yet. Specs and prices for upcoming cars are often targets or estimates and can change before launch, so treat them as provisional.

Codes are country or region abbreviations: US (United States), CA (Canada), MX (Mexico), EU (European Union), DE (Germany), CN (China), JP (Japan), KR (South Korea), VN (Vietnam), SA (Saudi Arabia) and ME (Middle East).

When a car is sold in several regions, the specs we list are for the US version. Versions for other markets can differ in battery, charge port, range test and price.

A car that isn't sold in the US can't simply be bought here: it lacks US certification, and its plug and service network may not fit. Its price is a currency conversion from its home market, not a US price.