Electric car detractors often argue that those who buy them live in cities and therefore never clock up the mileage that commuters do outside of urban areas. Well, it appears those claims are complete rubbish as new research reveals that Tesla drivers pile on more miles than those with combustion-engined cars.
A study by the RAC Foundation found that Tesla drivers racked up 12,459 miles on average during the first three years of ownership, which is just over 350 miles more than Mercedes-Benz drivers in second place. The third place trophy goes to Volvo drivers, a group that collectively has clocked nearly 1,000 miles less than Tesla owners.
The news gets even better for EV aficionados, because Tesla Model S owners amassed an average 12,392 miles over the first three years of ownership, some 3,000 miles more than the equivalent petrol car. Owners of other electric cars were racking up miles, too, with Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe drivers registering 8,241 miles and 5,736 miles respectively.
However, diesel car owners still lead the way, with Skoda Octavia drivers averaging 14,986 miles over the first three years of ownership. This comes as little surprise, given how popular diesel cars are for commuters and taxis.
“Unsurprisingly people with diesels have been doing most mileage, probably seeking better long-distance fuel economy, but this study is also evidence that battery-electric powered cars are not just trophy vehicles signalling their owners’ green credentials but prior to the lockdown were racking up the miles as everyday transport”, said RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding.
“Tens of millions of people still drive petrol and diesel-powered cars,” he added, “but this data suggests that owners of electric cars have found them to be a practical proposition, running up the sort of big annual mileages that many of us need to do, challenging preconceptions about their range and the ease of re-charging.”
Here’s a breakdown of the top ten manufacturers, ranked by average mileage clocked over the first three years of ownership:
- Tesla – 12,459 miles
- Mercedes-Benz – 12,100
- Volvo – 11,578
- Ford – 11,488
- Mitsubishi – 11,456
- Volkswagen – 11,282
- Citroen – 11,272
- Renault – 10,924
- BMW – 10,859
- Land Rover – 10,716
Keyword: Tesla drivers rack up more annual mileage than owners of other cars