The latest 2025 electric vehicle winter driving test results are out, and there are quite a few EV models that are surprising with their performance.
Any vehicle, electric or not, loses range in colder weather, whether through engine performance and/or climate control.
However, it is recognized as a bigger problem with electric vehicles since they generally have a shorter range to start with.
Scandinavian countries are particularly concerned about that and they run some of the most comprehensive EV winter driving tests.
The latest 2025 winter driving test from Motor and NAF came out this week with some really interesting results.
Car Model
WLTP (Declared)
Achieved Distance
Percentage Deviation
Peugeot E-3008
510
347
-31.96%
Voyah Dream
482
343,8
-28.67%
Peugeot E-5008
488
361
-26.02%
Tesla Model 3
702
530,8
-24.39%
VW ID.7 GTX Tourer
571
440,2
-22.91%
Porsche Macan
552
428,6
-22.36%
Audi Q6 e-tron
616
480,8
-21.95%
Xpeng G6
550
429,3
-21.95%
Volvo EX30
472
370,9
-21.42%
BMW i5 Touring
497
392,4
-21.05%
Ioniq 5
546
436,3
-20.09%
NIO EL8
503
411,9
-18.11%
Ford Explorer
525
437
-16.76%
Smart #3
415
346,1
-16.6%
Hongqi EHS7
540
452,3
-16.24%
BYD Seal U
500
421
-15.8%
Porsche Taycan
592
499,1
-15.69%
Kia EV3
590
499,1
-15.41%
Mercedes-Benz G-klasse
443
380,8
-14.04%
BYD Sealion 7
502
436,4
-13.07%
Lotus Emeya
500
436,3
-12.74%
Mini Countryman
399
355
-11.03%
BYD Tang
530
481,6
-9.13%
Polestar 3
560
531
-5.18%
The Polestar 3 performed the best and by a significant margin losing only 5% of its range. It also went the longest distance despite having only the 6th longest WLTP-rated range.
This year, they used a new Model 3 Long Range RWD, which has the highest rated range at 702 km (436 miles), and yet, it went just short of the Polestar 3 and lost 24% of its range.
Motor noted:
Tesla has been at the top of our list in previous range tests. With a WLTP range of 702 km, the Model 3 Rear-wheel drive was expected to go significantly further than its competitors this time. But it was a huge disappointment, even though it went almost as far as the Polestar 3.
Many EVs performed well with a 10 to 20% range loss, but the top 5 is particularly interesting.
There are 2 BYD vehicles in the top 5, but 4 out of the top 5 EVs are China-made electric vehicles as both the Polestar 3 (for Europe, it is also made in the US for the North American market) and the Lotus Emeya are made in China.
Electrek’s Take
Chinese EVs are no joke. No wonder why the industry is so scared of them. Tesla’s performance is also disappointing with this new version of the Model 3 because it used to do better in those tests.
Tesla also has more experience making long-range EVs than all its competitors.
At least, it didn’t do as bad as the Peugeot. losing 31% is madness unless you are looking at -30C temperatures, which wasn’t the case for this test. It was actually performed in mild temperatures for a winter in Norway: around 5C (37F).
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A fully electric Isuzu pickup truck? That’s right. The D-MAX EV is Isuzu’s first electric pickup, and it will be rolling in the next few months. After kicking off mass production, Isuzu said the new EV pickup will “match the performance of existing diesel models,” boasting high towing capacity and payload.
Isuzu’s first electric pickup is launching in 2025
Isuzu announced on Tuesday that the D-MAX EV has officially entered mass production. The company has started building left-hand drive models, which will be shipped to Europe in the third quarter of 2025.
By the end of the year, production of right-hand drive models will begin for the UK, with sales expected to start in 2026.
The electric pickup is nearly identical to Isuzu’s popular gas-powered D-MAX, but swaps the diesel powertrain for a pair of electric motors. The D-MAX EV features new e-Axles, one on the front and the other at the rear, for a full-time 4WD system.
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The dual-motor powertrain enables it to match the performance of existing diesel models, with a combined 188 hp (140 kW) and a maximum torque of 240 lb-ft (325 Nm).
It can also tow over 7,700 lbs (3,500 kg) with a maximum payload of over 2,200 lbs (1,010 kg). That’s about the same as the D-MAX diesel, which has a 3,500 kg towing capacity and a payload capacity of up to 1,200 kg.
Powered by a 66.9 kWh battery, Isuzu’s first electric pickup boasts a driving range of up to 263 km (162 miles) on the WLTP. In the city, it can have a driving range of up to 224 miles (361 km).
Isuzu D-Max EV specs
Drive System
Full-time 4×4
Battery Type
Lithium-ion
Battery Capacity
66.9 kWh
Max Output
130 kW (174 hp)
Max Torque
325 Nm
Max Speed
Over 130 km/h (+80 mph)
Max Payload
1,000 kg (+2,200 lbs)
Max Towing Capacity
3.5t (+7,700 lbs)
Isuzu D-Max EV electric pickup specs
Built for on and off-road performance, the rugged electric pickup features over 8″ (210 mm) of ground clearance with a wading depth of nearly 24″ (600 mm).
Although prices have not been announced, the D-MAX EV is expected to start slightly higher than the diesel model, which has a base price of around € 36,500 ($41,600).
Isuzu’s popular D-MAX is sold in over 100 countries, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America. The electric version will arrive in Europe in the next few months, followed by the UK and other regions in 2026.
The electric D-MAX will compete with the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and other electric pickups, such as Geely’s Radar R6, BYD’s Shark, and Ford’s F-150 Lightning.
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For the first time in five years, a Tesla insider required to report Tesla stock transactions bought stocks rather than selling them.
But the transaction is so small that it makes the whole situation hilarious.
Insiders in public companies are top executives and board members who are required to report to the SEC any transaction related to the company’s stock.
For Tesla, it has become a running joke that insiders only sell, never buy the stock.
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This has been true without exception for years.
We don’t know as much about executives as Tesla has a very short top executive bench who are required to file transactions. However, when it comes to its board members, they have been selling at an impressive rate.
However, we now have confirmation that a Tesla board member is buying, rather than selling.
Joe Gebbia, the Airbnb co-founder who joined Tesla’s board in 2022, confirmed that he bought 4,000 shares in Tesla last week worth about $1 million:
Electrek’s Take
Gebbia is estimated to be worth over $7 billion. Therefore, his purchase of $1 million worth of Tesla stock would be equivalent to my buying a fractional share in Tesla.
Furthermore, the disclosure confirmed that despite being on the board for the last 3 years, Gebbia owned only 111 shares in Tesla before the transaction.
That’s quite the show of confidence in Tesla.
Thie whole situation with the board is disappointing. Tesla’s core business is melting. The company reported its worst quarter in years last week, and the stock surged 20%.
None of it makes any sense.
The board is sitting on its hands while the most powerful force accelerating the advent of electric transport is being destroyed in favor of nonsensical predictions about the potential of solving self-driving and humanoid robots.
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Venmo, long a centerpiece of PayPal‘s growth story but often criticized for its lack of monetization, is becoming a bigger contributor to the business.
PayPal said Tuesday in its first-quarter earnings release that revenue at Venmo increased 20% year-over-year in the first quarter, though the company didn’t provide a dollar figure. PayPal acquired Venmo in 2013 through the acquisition of parent company Braintree.
While it’s long been a popular consumer service for sending money to friends, Venmo’s ability to drive meaningful revenue has been a major question mark for investors, especially as competition from rivals like Zelle and Square Cash has intensified.
Venmo’s total payment volume rose 10% from a year earlier, but revenue grew twice as fast, reflecting the business opportunity. Venmo only gets revenue from specific products like Pay with Venmo at online checkout, Venmo debit cards, and instant transfers, but not from peer-to-peer payments.
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Ahead of the earnings report, Jefferies analysts noted that Venmo revenue growth appeared to be “accelerating sharply” and flagged its rising contribution to branded checkout as a key area to watch. Compass Point analysts similarly said that while competition from Zelle and Square Cash remains fierce, Venmo’s traction with debit cards and online checkout could “open up new monetization avenues” if adoption trends continue.
The company added nearly 2 million first-time PayPal and Venmo debit card users during the quarter, and total debit card payment volume across PayPal and Venmo climbed more than 60%. Meanwhile, Pay with Venmo transaction volume surged 50% year over year, and Venmo debit card monthly active users grew about 40%.
PayPal reported better-than-expected earnings for the quarter but missed on revenue. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance, citing macroeconomic uncertainty.