Lucid Air sets new 829 km record in Autobild’s 27 electric car range test

Electric cars are no different from their gas-powered cousins when it comes to this one thing: official range figures. Those “official” numbers are one thing, but real-world performance is what truly matters to drivers. A comprehensive test conducted by the Norwegian Automobile Association (NAF) put 27 new electric vehicles to the test, and the results were quite interesting.

The Lucid Air, a luxury sedan from the United States, has set a stunning new distance record, traveling an impressive 829 km on a single charge, shattering the previous record held by the Tesla Model S at 672 km.

Twice a year, the NAF runs its “El Prix” test, a demanding real-world trial designed to see how far the latest EVs can actually go. The test isn’t a gentle drive on a closed track. Cars start with a full battery in Oslo and drive in normal traffic on a route that includes city streets, country roads, and highways. The path heads north, forcing the vehicles to climb in elevation.

During this latest run, drivers faced temperatures between 7°C and 17°C and bouts of heavy rain, conditions that typically reduce an EV’s efficiency. This rigorous setup gives a much clearer picture of what a driver can expect from their electric car than a simple lab test.

Lucid Air’s record-breaking performance is, on one hand, not entirely a surprise. The car has a massive 118 kWh battery, one of the largest power packs available in a passenger vehicle today. More battery usually means more range, but this story has a twist.

Despite its incredible 829 km journey, the Lucid Air actually fell short of the official range figure provided by the manufacturer. That’s quite an interesting point: while a big battery can deliver a big number, it doesn’t always guarantee that it will meet its own lofty promises.

While the Lucid Air took the top spot for overall distance, another vehicle arguably stole the show for efficiency. The updated Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD delivered a truly remarkable performance. Its official WLTP range is listed at 586 km, but in the challenging Norwegian test, the Model Y kept going and going, finally stopping after 652 km, exceeding its official rating by 66 km.

The success of the Model Y was not an isolated case. The test revealed a positive trend, with more than half of the vehicles tested, 15 out of 27, either meeting or exceeding their official WLTP range figures, suggesting that automakers are getting much better at managing the battery power.

But…