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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