In NAF’s January 2026 El Prix winter test, the Lucid Air had the largest reported shortfall from its stated WLTP range: 46%. The Hyundai Inster and MG IM6 had the smallest, at 29% each. Across all 24 tested electric vehicles, the average shortfall was 38%. These were results from an exceptionally cold Norwegian test—not a forecast of what every driver will lose in an ordinary winter.
Which EVs had the biggest winter range shortfalls?
NAF compared each car’s test result with its stated WLTP range. In the January 2026 El Prix event, the Lucid Air recorded the largest named proportional gap, while the Hyundai Inster and MG IM6 recorded the smallest named gaps.
| Test result | Vehicle | Shortfall from WLTP |
|---|---|---|
| Largest reported shortfall | Lucid Air | 46% |
| Smallest reported shortfalls | Hyundai Inster; MG IM6 | 29% each |
| Average across 24 vehicles | NAF El Prix field | 38% |
Those percentages describe this event, not permanent rankings across every trim and model year. Conditions also differed along the route: NAF noted that the Lucid spent a long stretch near −30°C, while the Inster stopped where the temperature was −16°C. The 29% result therefore cannot be read as a controlled, same-temperature comparison with the Lucid. NAF’s 2026 winter-test results
What the 20% battery-reserve figures show
A separate NAF measure records how far each car travelled before 20% battery charge remained. This can help with trip planning, but it is not the same as total range loss: the test endpoint leaves a reserve in the battery. The listed distance and share of WLTP for selected cars were:
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| Vehicle | Distance at 20% remaining | Share of WLTP |
|---|---|---|
| Lucid Air | 431 km | 45% |
| Mercedes-Benz CLA | 339 km | 48% |
| Volvo EX90 | 291 km | 48% |
| Tesla Model Y | 307 km | 49% |
| Suzuki eVitara | 202 km | 51% |
| Hyundai Inster | 221 km | 61% |
NAF’s broader table includes additional tested vehicles, but the distance at 20% remaining is not available there for the Audi A6 or Mazda 6e. The Opel Grandland began the test at 94% charge after charging stopped unexpectedly; its figure should not be compared as though it started fully charged. NAF says drivers commonly charge before the battery is nearly empty and often stop around 20% remaining, so reaching this test endpoint is not a promise of routine usable trip distance. NAF’s 20%-remaining results and notes
How severe was the test?
The route began in Oslo at −7°C and reached −32°C in Folldal. FIA’s event summary also reports a −32°C minimum and a 38% average reduction against WLTP. That extreme cold is central to interpreting the results: a 38% average shortfall in this test should not be applied as a universal winter penalty for a different climate, route, vehicle configuration or driver. FIA’s El Prix event summary
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Why cold weather reduces EV range
Low ambient temperatures reduce battery efficiency and usable battery energy, particularly in extreme cold. The cabin also needs more energy for heating. The U.S. Department of Energy identifies cabin heating as a major winter energy load, while noting that thermal-management systems and HVAC designs vary among vehicles. U.S. Department of Energy on cabin heating and EV range
Heat pumps are not a guarantee against range loss
Heat pumps typically use less power than resistance-only cabin heating, but their efficiency falls in extreme cold. The Department of Energy reports a 38% reduction in total HVAC power draw at 20°F for one particular comparison of two configurations. That is a result for those configurations and conditions—not a 38% range improvement that can be assumed for every heat-pump-equipped EV.
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How the 2026 results compare with the prior winter
NAF’s 2025 winter test also recorded substantial WLTP shortfalls, including 29.5% for the Voyah Dream, 28.6% for the Peugeot E-3008, 27.7% for the Peugeot E-5008 and 23.6% for the Tesla Model 3. Those figures come from a separate year’s test, vehicles and conditions; they should not be combined with the 2026 results into one ranking. NAF’s 2025 winter-test results
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What drivers should take from the results
- Use the 46%, 29% and 38% figures as results from NAF’s January 2026 test, not guarantees for other winters.
- For a cold-weather trip, plan charging around the route and conditions rather than assuming the WLTP figure will be achievable.
- Distinguish a percentage shortfall from distance travelled before 20% charge remains; they answer different questions.
- Allow for the fact that cars on the test route encountered different temperatures.
NAF’s senior communications adviser Nils Sødal framed the practical implication cautiously: in severe cold, drivers can expect to need to charge before travelling half of a car’s stated range. That is a warning for harsh conditions, not a fixed rule for every EV or winter journey.
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Range and charging are separate trip-planning questions
FIA reported that preconditioning before charging helped most test cars approach their stated 10–80% charging times. That finding concerns charging performance; it does not erase the range shortfalls or turn charging speed into a measure of winter driving range.
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