Tesla owners love their cars, and that apparently translates into more mileage being put on Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) than any other EVs on the market. That’s according to the results of a new study which shows the Model X is the most driven EV, while the Porsche Taycan is the least driven EV.
The study was conducted by iSeeCars, which looked at data from over 860,000 vehicles to determine which EVs rack up mileage faster than others over a three year period. Unsurprisingly Tesla took the four top spots in the study, but perhaps surprisingly it was the Model X leading the way with an average of 10,387 miles (16,716km) driven per year. Next was the Model Y sitting close behind in second place with 10,199 miles (16,413km), followed by the MOdel 3 and Model S with 9,960 miles and 9,340 miles (16,029km & 15,031km) respectively.
The rest of the results are a smorgasbord of different EVs, including the Hyundai Kona, Chevy Bolt EV, and Jaguar I-Pace. The least driven EV is the Porsche Taycan, which according to the study is driven only 4,846 miles (7,799km) over the course of three years.
| Rank | Model | Avg. Miles Driven Per Year | Avg. EPA Battery Range (miles) | Avg. Price |
| 1 | Tesla Model X | 10,378 | 341 | $76,193 |
| 2 | Tesla Model Y | 10,199 | 316 | $49,406 |
| 3 | Tesla Model 3 | 9,960 | 279 | $37,909 |
| 4 | Tesla Model S | 9,340 | 378 | $66,105 |
| 3-year-old EV average | 9,059 | 279 | $45,147 | |
| 5 | Hyundai Kona Electric | 8,260 | 258 | $29,961 |
| 6 | Chevrolet Bolt EV | 7,753 | 259 | $25,928 |
| 7 | Audi e-tron Sportback | 7,210 | 218 | $53,602 |
| 8 | Jaguar I-PACE | 6,910 | 240 | $51,090 |
| 9 | Hyundai Ioniq Electric | 6,803 | 170 | $24,748 |
| 10 | Kia Niro EV | 6,630 | 239 | $32,301 |
| 11 | Nissan LEAF | 6,395 | 190 | $25,917 |
| 12 | Porsche Taycan | 4,846 | 226 | $117,484 |
While Tesla is leading the pack, their results are still behind those of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, which iSeeCars says are driven an average of 12,578 miles (20,256km) during the same time period. As to the reason for the discrepancy between EVs and ICE cars and the distance driven, the publication attributes that to different use cases for the respective vehicles, as well as range anxiety.
“Several factors contribute to EVs being driven less, including their common role as a second or third vehicle in a household, and being used less often for road trips. But the most powerful factor may be an EV’s battery range and the associated range anxiety,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer.
However Brauer also adds that range anxiety is less about running out of charge in the middle of nowhere, and more about the ‘refueling’ process, which in turn also shows why Tesla EVs, with their longer driving ranges and expansive Supercharger network, are at the head of their class.
“Range anxiety is less about being stranded in the middle of nowhere and more about the ‘refueling’ process for electric vehicles. In a gasoline car, regardless of how far you’re going, there are always plenty of refueling options and the process takes 5 to 10 minutes. Until EVs can offer that level of convenience at a comparable cost, they will be at a distinct disadvantage in terms of use and market demand,” said Brauer.
Another contributing factor according to iSeeCars is price. “Three-year-old electric vehicles have an average price of $45,147, while 3-year-old internal combustion cars cost an average of $30,760. This means electric cars cost 47 percent more than conventional vehicles, but are driven 29 percent less.”
You can read the full study here.
