For drivers comparing electric vehicles, range is only one part of the picture. A new CAA road test found that all 22 EVs in its 2026 EV Circuit completed a 230-kilometre drive from Blue Mountain to Vaughan without stopping to recharge.
Even the vehicle with the shortest advertised range made the trip. On average, the EVs used 40 per cent of their battery charge along the route.
What separated the vehicles was how much electricity they used, how quickly they recovered range and what drivers paid when they plugged in.
Energy Consumption (kWh/100 km)
The Toyota bZ was the most energy-efficient vehicle tested, consuming 11.43 kWh per 100 km. It was closely followed by the Tesla Model Y at 11.81 kWh, Tesla Model 3 at 11.85 kWh and Kia EV4 at 11.89 kWh.
Lowest energy consumption (kWh/100 km)
| Make | Model | Energy used |
| Toyota | bZ | 11.43 kWh |
| Tesla | Model Y | 11.81 kWh |
| Tesla | Model 3 | 11.85 kWh |
| Kia | EV4 | 11.89 kWh |
| Nissan | LEAF | 12.48 kWh |
At the other end was the Lucid Gravity at 28.91 kWh per 100 km, followed by the GMC HUMMER EV SUV at 23.55 kWh and Tesla Cybertruck at 23.41 kWh.
Highest energy consumption (kWh/100 km)
| Make | Model | Energy used |
| Lucid | Gravity | 28.91 kWh |
| GMC | HUMMER EV SUV | 23.55 kWh |
| Tesla | Cybertruck | 23.41 kWh |
| Rivian | R1T | 19.96 kWh |
| Cadillac | LYRIQ | 19.1 kWh |
CAA says the group as a whole used energy equivalent to about two litres of gasoline per 100 kilometres. For comparison, the average Canadian passenger vehicle consumes roughly eight to 10 litres per 100 kilometres.
Charging Speed
Charging speed produced another wide spread. During a standardized 15-minute charging session, the vehicles added an average of 110 kilometres of displayed driving range, and almost two-thirds gained at least 100 km.
The Lucid Gravity added 178 km, the most in the test, while the Hyundai IONIQ 5 gained 136 km and the Mercedes-Benz CLA with EQ Technology added 135 km. The Lucid Air gained 58 km, the lowest recorded result.
Most kilometres gained in a 15-minute charging session:
| Make | Model | Kilometres gained |
| Lucid | Gravity | 178 km |
| Hyundai | IONIQ 5 | 136 km |
| Mercedes-Benz | CLA with EQ Technology | 135 km |
| Cadillac | LYRIC | 131 km |
| Nissan | LEAF | 126 km |
Least kilometres gained in a 15-minute charging session:
| Make | Model | Kilometres gained |
| Lucid | Air | 58 km |
| Chevrolet | Equinox EV | 71 km |
| Chevrolet | Silverado EV | 80 km |
| GMC | HUMMER EV SUV | 90 km |
| Tesla | Model Y | 97 km |
Cost Per $100 km
What a driver pays for that added range also varied considerably. The Tesla Model 3 recorded a cost of $7.28 per 100 km of range added. The GMC HUMMER EV SUV came in at $24.39, while the Chevrolet Silverado EV was $19.05 and Rivian R1T $17.85. The Lucid Gravity’s charging session was free, so CAA did not record a comparable cost.
2026 CAA EV Circuit/Credit: CAA
There are some important caveats. CAA notes that not every vehicle reached the ideal battery level for its fastest possible charging rate. The Polestar 4 also experienced a complication and did not complete the charging test.
Weather appears to matter too. The September 2026 vehicles used about 40 per cent less energy than the vehicles in CAA’s February 2025 winter test and added about 15 per cent more displayed range while charging. CAA cautions that the two tests involved different vehicles and conditions.
“For many of today’s EVs, the question is becoming less about whether you can complete a trip,” said Ian Jack, CAA National’s vice-president of public affairs, pointing instead to efficiency, charging time, location and cost as factors drivers should consider.