Winter test in Norway
Electric car manufacturers inflate the range numbers of their cars, so, the only way to compare cars from different manufacturers, is to test them together at the same time and in the same conditions.
Motor.no and NAF.no did a test with 24 electric cars for sale in Norway, to see how far they can go in the winter conditions. Norway has almost completely switched from CO2-cars to electric cars – over 90% of new cars sold in Norway are electric.
The test was held on January 15, 2025. The start was in Oslo, the capital of Norway. On the highway there was a freezing rain and the road was so slippery that the cars had to go at 60 km/h (37 mph) in the 90 km/h (55 mph) zone. At one point the road was closed for an hour until the tow trucks cleared the road. Later, in the mountains, the temperature rose to 5°C (41°F).
At halfway into the test, the Tesla Model 3 showed an average consumption of only 14.9 kWh/100 km (4.17 miles/kWh).
Both screens of the Hongqi EHS7 went black and the driver stopped the car with 12% and 62 km (38 miles) remaining range. After 20 minutes the car switched on again and continued the test.
Finally, four cars were left in the test: Polestar 3, Tesla Model 3, Porsche Taycan and Kia EV3. Porsche and Kia managed to travel the same distance before they stopped: 499 km (310 miles).
Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 3 were the last cars driving. Tesla ran out of battery and stopped. Just 0.3 km (0.2 miles) further the Polestar 3 also stopped. Polestar’s trip counter showed 531 km (330 miles) and Tesla’s trip counter showed 548 km (340 miles). Everything indicated that Polestar’s trip meter was quite accurate and Tesla’s trip meter showed inflated numbers, so, Tesla’s result was recorded as 531 km (330 miles).
Considering that the Polestar 3 consumed 34% more energy that the Tesla Model 3, the clear winner of the winter test was Tesla.
| battery net kWh | km | miles | kWh/ 100 km | kWh/ 100 miles | miles/ kWh | consumption compared to Tesla | |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 79.7 | 531 | 330 | 15.0 | 24.2 | 4.1 | |
| Polestar 3 Long Range 4WD | 107.0 | 531 | 330 | 20.2 | 32.4 | 3.1 | +34% |
| Porsche Taycan RWD | 97.0 | 499 | 310 | 19.4 | 31.3 | 3.2 | +30% |
| Kia EV3 Exclusive Plus FWD | 78.0 | 499 | 310 | 15.6 | 25.2 | 4.0 | +4% |
| BYD Tang Long Range 4×4 | 107.0 | 481 | 299 | 22.2 | 35.8 | 2.8 | +48% |
| Audi Q6 e-tron Tech Plus 4WD | 94.9 | 480 | 298 | 19.8 | 31.8 | 3.1 | +32% |
| Hongqi EHS7 Exclusive 4WD | 111.0 | 452 | 280 | 24.6 | 39.5 | 2.5 | +64% |
| VW ID.7 Tourer GTX 4WD | 86.0 | 440 | 273 | 19.5 | 31.4 | 3.2 | +30% |
| Ford Explorer Premium 4WD | 79.0 | 437 | 271 | 18.1 | 29.1 | 3.4 | +20% |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 Premium 4WD | 77.4 | 436 | 271 | 17.8 | 28.6 | 3.5 | +18% |
| BYD Sealion 7 Excellence 4WD | 91.3 | 436 | 271 | 20.9 | 33.7 | 3.0 | +40% |
| Lotus Emeya S 4WD | 98.9 | 436 | 271 | 22.7 | 36.5 | 2.7 | +51% |
| Xpeng G6 Performance 4WD | 87.5 | 429 | 266 | 20.4 | 32.8 | 3.0 | +36% |
| Porsche Macan 4WD | 94.9 | 428 | 266 | 22.2 | 35.7 | 2.8 | +48% |
| BYD Seal U Design FWD | 87.0 | 421 | 261 | 20.7 | 33.3 | 3.0 | +38% |
| Nio EL8 Executive 4WD | 90.0 | 411 | 255 | 21.9 | 35.2 | 2.8 | +46% |
| BMW i5 Touring xDrive40 4WD | 81.2 | 392 | 243 | 20.7 | 33.3 | 3.0 | +38% |
| Mercedes-Benz G580 4WD | 116.0 | 380 | 236 | 30.5 | 49.1 | 2.0 | +103% |
| Volvo EX30 Extended Range RWD | 64.0 | 370 | 230 | 17.3 | 27.8 | 3.6 | +15% |
| Peugeot E-5008 GT FWD | 73.0 | 361 | 224 | 20.2 | 32.5 | 3.1 | +35% |
| Mini Countryman SE 4WD | 64.7 | 355 | 220 | 18.2 | 29.3 | 3.4 | +21% |
| Peugeot E-3008 GT FWD | 73.0 | 347 | 215 | 21.0 | 33.8 | 2.9 | +40% |
| Smart #3 Brabus 4WD | 62.0 | 346 | 215 | 17.9 | 28.8 | 3.5 | +19% |
| Voyah Dream Premium 4WD | 100.0 | 343 | 213 | 29.2 | 46.9 | 2.1 | +94% |