1,000 km winter road test with 40 cars shows EVs can rival gas-powered cars
Electric cars, or EVs, are rapidly gaining traction as viable alternatives to traditional combustion engine vehicles. But people still worry about range and charging times, especially in cold weather, and often, those two are the main reasons for hesitation among potential buyers. A recent independent test conducted in Finland demonstrates that EVs are not only capable of handling long winter journeys, but can even outperform gasoline-powered cars in terms of overall travel time.
The Finland Light Vehicles Testing Procedure put 41 different EV models to the test, subjecting them to a 1,000-km route in freezing temperatures ranging from 34°F to 25°F. The goal was very simple - to determine the total travel time, including charging stops, and compare it to the expected time for a combustion engine vehicle on the same route. The results were overwhelmingly positive for electric cars.
An earlier national poll indicated that most Finnish drivers of gasoline cars estimated a 621-mile trip would take between 14 and 15 hours. Impressively, all but four of the EVs in the test completed the journey in under 15 hours. 15 EVs finished in under 13 hours, with the average trip time for all EVs landing just under 13 hours and 33 minutes.
The 2021 Tesla Model S Long Range emerged as the overall winner, completing the trip in just 12 hours and 15 minutes. This included a total of 1 hour and 6 minutes spent charging, achieving energy efficiency of 2.91 miles per kWh. Hot on its heels was the 2025 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor, finishing in 12 hours and 19 minutes with exactly 1 hour spent charging and an efficiency of 3.06 miles per kWh.
During the test, some EVs required longer charging times. The older 2013 Tesla Model S 85 spent nearly three and a half hours plugged in. The fastest charging models, the 2021 Audi e-tron GT, and the 2025 XPeng G6 AWD, only needed 52 minutes for the entire trip.
Ultimately, the total trip time, including charging, is the most crucial metric for drivers. Arriving at the destination sooner means avoiding overnight stays and associated costs. For the leading EVs in the Finland test, charging stops were typically short, around 20 to 40 minutes each.
On a journey of this length, regular breaks are essential for any driver, regardless of the vehicle they are driving. These charging stops provide ideal opportunities for rest and refreshments, and since they aren’t that long, it is fairly easy to comfortably integrate them into the journey without significant delays.
This interesting real-world test dispels many concerns about range and charging anxiety. The results indicate that the future of EVs for both everyday and long-distance transport is doable, but it depends on a reliable and abundant charging network. Here are the full test results:
| Model | Total time | Driving time | Charging time | Charging stops | Energy efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Tesla Model S LR | 12:15:00 | 11:09:00 | 01:06:00 | 3 | 2.91 miles/kWh |
| 2025 Polestar 2 LR Single Motor | 12:19:00 | 11:19:00 | 01:00:00 | 3 | 3.06 miles/kWh |
| 2022 Nio ET7 LR | 12:20:00 | 11:06:00 | 01:14:00 | 4 | 2.39 miles/kWh |
| 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 AWD | 12:22:00 | 11:17:00 | 01:05:00 | 3 | 3.13 miles/kWh |
| 2024 Kia EV3 81 kWh | 12:22:00 | 11:04:00 | 01:18:00 | 3 | 2.94 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Audi e-tron GT Quattro | 12:31:00 | 11:39:00 | 00:52:00 | 3 | 2.59 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Kia EV6 RWD 77 kWh | 12:37:00 | 11:09:00 | 01:28:00 | 4 | 2.62 miles/kWh |
| 2024 XPeng G6 AWD Performance | 12:40:00 | 11:48:00 | 00:52:00 | 3 | 3.01 miles/kWh |
| 2025 Kia EV6 GT-Line | 12:40:00 | 11:31:00 | 01:09:00 | 3 | 2.97 miles/kWh |
| 2022 Kia EV6 GT | 12:44:00 | 11:16:00 | 01:28:00 | 5 | 2.42 miles/kWh |
| 2023 Tesla Model 3 SR | 12:44:00 | 11:14:00 | 01:30:00 | 4 | 3.23 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance | 12:46:00 | 11:24:00 | 01:22:00 | 6 | 2.74 miles/kWh |
| 2023 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD | 12:47:00 | 11:37:00 | 01:10:00 | 3 | 2.38 miles/kWh |
| 2024 VW ID.7 Tourer | 12:55:00 | 11:30:00 | 01:25:00 | 3 | 2.77 miles/kWh |
| 2024 VW ID.7 Tourer GTX | 13:10:00 | 10:59:00 | 02:11:00 | 4 | 2.49 miles/kWh |
| 2024 VW ID.7 GTX | 13:11:00 | 11:53:00 | 01:18:00 | 4 | 2.82 miles/kWh |
| 2024 Ford Explorer RWD LR | 13:15:00 | 11:42:00 | 01:33:00 | 4 | 2.85 miles/kWh |
| 2024 Polestar 3 LR Dual Motor | 13:16:00 | 11:30:00 | 01:46:00 | 3 | 2.3 miles/kWh |
| 2022 Tesla Model Y LR | 13:17:00 | 11:38:00 | 01:39:00 | 4 | 3.25 miles/kWh |
| 2019 Audi e-tron 50 Quattro | 13:20:00 | 11:07:00 | 02:13:00 | 6 | 2.28 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo | 13:24:00 | 11:33:00 | 01:51:00 | 5 | 2.1 miles/kWh |
| 2022 MG4 Luxury 64 kWh | 13:28:00 | 11:45:00 | 01:43:00 | 4 | 3.1 miles/kWh |
| 2022 Tesla Model Y Performance | 13:30:00 | 11:30:00 | 02:00:00 | 4 | 2.53 miles/kWh |
| 2021 BMW i4 M50 | 13:35:00 | 11:56:00 | 01:39:00 | 4 | 2.83 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD 77 kWh | 13:42:00 | 11:54:00 | 01:48:00 | 5 | 2.68 miles/kWh |
| 2019 Tesla Model 3 LR | 13:43:00 | 12:01:00 | 01:42:00 | 4 | 2.7 miles/kWh |
| 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance | 13:43:00 | 11:48:00 | 01:55:00 | 5 | 2.34 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Polestar 2 LR Dual Motor | 13:53:00 | 11:29:00 | 02:24:00 | 5 | 2.79 miles/kWh |
| 2022 Tesla Model Y Performance (with roof box) | 13:58:00 | 12:11:00 | 01:47:00 | 5 | 2.66 miles/kWh |
| 2023 Volvo EX30 Single Motor LR | 13:59:00 | 12:01:00 | 01:58:00 | 4 | 2.97 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Tesla Model Y LR | 14:01:00 | 11:59:00 | 02:20:00 | 4 | 2.68 miles/kWh |
| 2023 Volvo EX30 Twin Motor | 14:01:00 | 11:41:00 | 02:20:00 | 6 | 2.74 miles/kWh |
| 2024 Mercedes EQE 300 | 14:19:00 | 12:30:00 | 01:49:00 | 4 | 2.71 miles/kWh |
| 2020 Kia e-Niro 64 kWh | 14:32:00 | 11:42:00 | 02:50:00 | 4 | 3.21 miles/kWh |
| 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E LR AWD | 14:46:00 | 11:40:00 | 03:06:00 | 4 | 2.31 miles/kWh |
| 2021 VW ID.3 Pure Performance | 14:47:00 | 11:53:00 | 02:54:00 | 6 | 3.13 miles/kWh |
| 2022 VW ID.5 Pro 2022 | 14:55:00 | 12:00:00 | 02:55:00 | 4 | 2.78 miles/kWh |
| 2020 VW ID.3 Pro 58 kW 2020 | 15:15:00 | 11:47:00 | 03:28:00 | 7 | 2.9 miles/kWh |
| 2013 Tesla Model S 85 | 15:16:00 | 11:47:00 | 03:29:00 | 7 | 2.52 miles/kWh |
| 2022 VW ID.Buzz 2022 | 15:18:00 | 12:22:00 | 02:56:00 | 5 | 2.24 miles/kWh |
| 2024 Mercedes eSprinter | 15:35:00 | 12:56:00 | 02:39:00 | 3 | 1.77 miles/kWh |
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