Norway’s El Prix winter test exposes EV hierarchy. Asia leads, Tesla and Lucid stumble
The world’s largest winter endurance test for electric cars, organised by the Norwegian Automobile Federation and Motor, has wrapped up. The verdict will not please many European and American brands.
El Prix does not measure cupholders or touchscreen graphics. It measures engineering discipline under stress. Sub zero temperatures, real roads and honest distances. Winter in Norway remains the ultimate audit of electric vehicle efficiency.
Efficiency decides everything
Across all 24 cars tested, the average loss compared with official WLTP range stood at 38 percent. The best performers kept their losses close to 30 percent, which in these conditions counts as a technical achievement.
The standout result came from the MG6S EV, which managed 345 kilometres from a WLTP claim of 485 kilometres, a 29 percent drop. The Hyundai Inster matched that percentage. The MG IM6 followed with a 30 percent reduction.
MG attributes its performance to a thermal management system developed in cooperation with SAIC and battery giant CATL. The system keeps battery cells within an optimal temperature window even when the outside world resembles a walk in a freezer.
The lesson is simple. Winter punishes inefficiency without mercy.
Premium badges offer no immunity
The more awkward headlines belong to established technology names. The Tesla Model Y lost 43 percent of its claimed 629 kilometre WLTP range, managing 359 kilometres in the test. The Lucid Air, which boasts an almost theatrical WLTP figure of 960 kilometres, delivered 520 kilometres. That translates into a 46 percent loss.
In freezing conditions, a significant share of stored energy goes not to forward motion but to heating the cabin and keeping the battery alive. When software strategy and heat pump calibration fall short, range evaporates quickly.
Other notable results underline the same pattern. The Volvo EX90 lost 45 percent. The Mercedes Benz CLA dropped 41 percent. The BMW iX and Ford Capri both recorded 39 percent reductions. Even the Audi A6 surrendered 38 percent of its official figure.
At the sharper end of the table, Asian manufacturers dominated. Beyond MG and Hyundai, models such as the Kia EV4, Changan Deepal S05 and Xpeng X9 kept losses between 34 and 36 percent. The gap may look modest on paper, but in real world winter driving it can mean tens of kilometres and a great deal of peace of mind.
Full El Prix 2026 ranking by range loss
Below is the complete ranking of all 24 models, ordered by percentage loss compared with WLTP figures:
MG6S EV, WLTP 485 km, actual 345 km, loss 29 percent
Hyundai Inster, WLTP 360 km, actual 256 km, loss 29 percent
MG IM6, WLTP 505 km, actual 352 km, loss 30 percent
KGM Musso, WLTP 379 km, actual 263 km, loss 31 percent
Voyah Courage, WLTP 440 km, actual 300 km, loss 32 percent
Kia EV4, WLTP 594 km, actual 390 km, loss 34 percent
Changan Deepal S05, WLTP 445 km, actual 293 km, loss 34 percent
Xpeng X9, WLTP 560 km, actual 361 km, loss 36 percent
Mazda 6e, WLTP 552 km, actual 348 km, loss 37 percent
Smart 5, WLTP 540 km, actual 342 km, loss 37 percent
Audi A6, WLTP 653 km, actual 402 km, loss 38 percent
Hyundai Ioniq 9, WLTP 600 km, actual 370 km, loss 38 percent
Zeekr 7X, WLTP 541 km, actual 338 km, loss 38 percent
Volkswagen ID Buzz, WLTP 449 km, actual 277 km, loss 38 percent
BMW iX, WLTP 641 km, actual 388 km, loss 39 percent
Ford Capri, WLTP 560 km, actual 339 km, loss 39 percent
Volvo ES90, WLTP 624 km, actual 373 km, loss 40 percent
Mercedes Benz CLA, WLTP 709 km, actual 421 km, loss 41 percent
Skoda Elroq, WLTP 524 km, actual 309 km, loss 41 percent
Tesla Model Y, WLTP 629 km, actual 359 km, loss 43 percent
Suzuki eVitara, WLTP 395 km, actual 224 km, loss 43 percent
Volvo EX90, WLTP 611 km, actual 339 km, loss 45 percent
Lucid Air, WLTP 960 km, actual 520 km, loss 46 percent
Opel Grandland, WLTP 484 km, actual 262 km, loss 46 percent
The strategic takeaway for EV buyers
For anyone considering an electric car in a northern climate, this table reads like a buyer’s guide written by physics itself.
The decisive factor lies in software logic and heat pump management. Cars that precondition the battery early, for example when temperatures dip below 10 degrees Celsius, tend to maintain range more effectively. Others attempt to warm the pack too late, burning through energy in a frantic effort to stabilise cell temperature.
The badge on the bonnet guarantees nothing. Winter does not care about brand hierarchy. It rewards efficiency, punishes waste and quietly exposes which engineers did their homework.
