Thinking About Making the Switch to a More Fuel Efficient or Even a New Electric Vehicle?
With petrol prices squeezing household budgets, more Australians than ever are weighing up whether an EV could cut their running costs. But range anxiety remains the number one thing holding back would-be EV buyers, with 60% of people considering an EV say the fear of running out of charge is stopping them making the switch.
The good news is the latest independent car testing can give Territorians the real numbers they need before they buy.
To help take the guesswork out of the decision, the Real-World Testing Program has now assessed 15 electric vehicles so you can see which ones go the distance.
The Results Are In
So far, every EV tested fell short of the driving range quoted from laboratory testing, but some came very close.
Shortfalls ranged from just 3% right through to 31%; a gap big enough to leave drivers stranded if they are relying on the sticker number.
The cars with the biggest real-world driving ranges were:
- The 2025 Kia EV3 Air Long Range and 2025 Kia EV5 Air 2WD Long Range, both clocking 537km on a single full charge. The EV5 came within 3% of its advertised range, while the EV3 fell 11% short.
- The 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range posted the next-longest real-world range at 490km, which is 8% below its advertised figure.
AANT Chief Executive Simon Matthias said:
"These independent results help NT motorists wanting to make the switch to an EV choose a car that won’t unexpectedly run out of charge. Australian car buyers are right to be deeply sceptical of the fuel consumption information carmakers are providing, and this Program is playing a critical role in helping Australian businesses and families save money."
How the Testing Works
Since July 2023, the Commonwealth-funded Program has also tested 154 petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles, with 76.6% found to use more fuel in real-world conditions than advertised. It began testing EVs in mid-2025.
Its 93km route runs through parts of Geelong and its outskirts. It includes urban roads (up to 60km/h), rural roads (60 to 80 km/h), and a motorway (up to 100km/h).
The Real-World Testing Program enables consumers to make more informed buying decisions so they can choose more efficient vehicles with lower running costs.
See the Full Results
Every tested model, range figure and efficiency result are available at realworld.org.au; a free resource to help you compare vehicles before you buy.
