If the electric car attracts more and more buyers, both for economic and environmental reasons, the question of the autonomy of the batteries and the charging power of these vehicles remains paramount for motorists. However, according to a study by the UFC-Que Choisir association published Monday, the data announced by the manufacturers would present significant discrepancies with reality.

In total, the study covered 20 vehicles of different makes and ranges. The association has not detailed its test protocol to measure the real autonomy of these cars. As for the ranges indicated by the manufacturers, they are established within the framework of the approval protocol, the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Test Procedure for Light Vehicles). A procedure "that does not reflect the real conditions of use", in the eyes of the UFC-Que Choisir.

Up to 33.4% difference

The differences thus range from 9.9% to 33.4%. With 484 km of autonomy announced against 436 km of range observed, it is the Hyundai Kona Electric 64 kWh 204 hp that would present the most reliable information on its technical sheet. Conversely, with 467 km of range presented against 311 km of measured range, the Volkswagen ID.4 299 hp GTX has the largest gap, far ahead of the other cars. On average, of these 20 vehicles, the gap recorded by the association is 19.23%.



At the same time, charging power would also be overestimated in many cases, while the charging speed of the battery is also part of the data conditioning the purchase of an electric car. The charging power is variable and most often decreases as the battery is recharged. The UFC-Que Choisir takes the example of a Renault Megane E-Tech. If it has a maximum charging power of 130 kW, it would actually start with an empty battery at 121 kW, before gradually dropping to 55 kW after 30 minutes. Another piece of information on which you must be vigilant before buying.

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