There is talk of electrics and the topic of “range anxiety” or anxiety caused by their reduced autonomy will inevitably come up. Well, the numbers collected by the British RAC Foundation (Royal Automobile Club) from the inspection centers (MOT test) seem to tell another story. On average, Tesla drivers cover the most kilometers per year.
These are the conclusions that the RAC Foundation drew after gathering the latest data from 516 936 vehicles inspected (MOT test), shortly before the country also “closes” due to Covid-19 — private vehicles have to carry out an inspection three years after their registration.
We have to admit, I don't think anyone expected that were Tesla to lead the list of car brands with the highest average annual mileage in the country.
On average, Tesla drivers (sample 887 vehicles) traveled 20,051 km per year . They are closely followed by Mercedes-Benz drivers (sample of 43,193 vehicles), with an annual average of 19,473 km, and by Volvo drivers (sample of 6135 vehicles), with a value of 18,632 km.
Taking these values a little further, if Tesla knows that they can only come from electric-powered vehicles, in the case of Mercedes and Volvo (and most of all other manufacturers), the result obtained results from a mix of diesel engines and gasoline, although there are also significant samples of hybrid and electric vehicles in some manufacturers.
Diesel is still the king of long distances
And it is important to mention this, because if we separate the average annual kilometers by type of engine, the results are enlightening. Overall, Diesel vehicles in the UK travel the longest distances on average per year: 20 110 km . Much more than the 12 053 km registered by petrol vehicles. Interestingly, and largely because of Tesla's “fault”, purely electric vehicles travel, on average, more kilometers than gasoline vehicles: 15,184 km.
The distance from Tesla to other trams is clear. The Tesla Model S (846 vehicle sample) recorded an annual average of 19 942 km. The Nissan Leaf (1026 vehicle sample) is further back, at 13,262 km, and the more compact Renault Zoe (394 vehicle sample) does not even reach 10,000 kilometers, recording an annual average of 9,231 km.
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In addition to the Tesla, also some specific plug-in hybrid vehicles are also among those that travel the most kilometers, equivalent to most Diesels. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (sample of 1674 vehicles) record an annual average of 20,117 km. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Hybrid (Diesel+electric), with a smaller sample of 168 vehicles, approaches 24 thousand kilometers driven per year.
Steve Gooding, Director of the RAC FoundationUnsurprisingly, people on Diesel drive the most kilometers, probably looking for better fuel consumption over long distances, but this study highlights that battery-powered electric vehicles aren't just trophy cars to showcase their "green" credentials. owners (…), being those who accumulated the most kilometers as day-to-day transport.
(…) these data suggest that electric vehicle owners consider them as a practical proposition, achieving large annual mileages that many of us need to do, challenging preconceptions about their autonomy and ease of charging.
Source: RAC Foundation.
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