An EV spec sheet gives you a single range number, which invites you to compare it with the number on another spec sheet. That comparison is often meaningless, because the two figures frequently come from different laboratory tests — and the tests disagree with each other by a wide margin.
We record the test standard alongside the range for every vehicle in our dataset, precisely so this cannot be glossed over. Across the 18 battery-electric vehicles we track, the split is:
| Test cycle | Vehicles | Typical bias |
|---|---|---|
| EPA (United States) | 12 | Most realistic |
| WLTP (Europe) | 1 | Moderately optimistic |
| NEDC (older, still used in parts of Asia) | 4 | Very optimistic |
| CLTC (China) | 1 | The most optimistic of all |
So six of the eighteen EVs we track quote a number that is not comparable with the EPA-rated majority — a third of the list. If you shortlist across markets — which anyone reading global EV coverage inevitably does — you will hit this.
What the four tests actually are
NEDC — New European Driving Cycle. The oldest of the four, designed in the 1980s and long since retired in Europe. It runs at modest speeds with gentle acceleration over a short distance, which flatters electric cars in particular. It is still quoted for some models in Asian markets.
WLTP — Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure. NEDC’s replacement in Europe. Longer, faster, more realistic acceleration, and it accounts for optional equipment. Better, but still a laboratory cycle, and still optimistic against real driving.
CLTC — China Light-duty Vehicle Test Cycle. The standard quoted for cars homologated in China, and the most optimistic of the four. It runs at low average speeds with a large share of urban driving, which suits electric cars especially well. A CLTC figure should never be read next to an EPA one without adjustment.
EPA — the United States Environmental Protection Agency cycle. The strictest of the four in practice. It tests at higher speeds, includes a separate highway cycle, and applies an adjustment factor before publishing. An EPA figure is generally the closest thing to a number you might actually see.
The direction is consistent: the same car would post its lowest figure on EPA and its highest on CLTC.
Roughly how to convert
There is no official conversion, because these are different tests rather than different units. But for shortlisting purposes, the commonly used rules of thumb are:
- CLTC → EPA equivalent: subtract roughly 25–35%
- NEDC → EPA equivalent: subtract roughly 20–25%
- WLTP → EPA equivalent: subtract roughly 10–15%
Applied to real examples from our dataset — and these are our illustrative adjustments, not manufacturer or regulator figures:
| Vehicle | Claimed | Cycle | Roughly, EPA-equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Seagull | 405 km | CLTC | ~280 km |
| BYD Seal | 580 km | NEDC | ~450 km |
| Tesla Model 3 | 584 km | EPA | 584 km (already EPA) |
| BYD Atto 3 | 480 km | NEDC | ~375 km |
| MG4 EV | 435 km | WLTP | ~380 km |
| Nissan Leaf | 488 km | EPA | 488 km (already EPA) |
Look at the top two rows. On paper the BYD Seal (580 km) and Tesla Model 3 (584 km) are within four kilometres of each other — you would reasonably call that a tie. Normalise for the test cycle and the gap opens to something like 130 km. Same spec sheet, completely different conclusion.
Then reality takes its own cut
Every figure above is a laboratory number. Real driving subtracts more, and the subtraction is not evenly distributed:
- Motorway speed is the big one. Aerodynamic drag rises sharply with speed, so sustained 110–120 km/h can cost 15–25% against the rating. This is why EVs behave the opposite way to petrol cars, which are usually at their most efficient cruising.
- Cold weather. Battery chemistry is less efficient when cold and cabin heating draws real power. In a cold climate, winter range can sit 20–30% below the rating. A heat pump materially reduces the penalty.
- Heat and air conditioning. In tropical and desert markets, air conditioning runs almost permanently. Unlike a combustion car, where cabin heat is waste heat from the engine, an EV pays for climate control directly out of range.
- Traffic — the pleasant surprise. Stop-start congestion is where EVs are at their best, because regenerative braking recovers energy and there is no idling loss. A congested commute often gets closer to the rating than a fast open road does.
The metric that is harder to game
If you want one number that resists all of this, use efficiency rather than range: kWh per 100 km, miles per kWh, or simply range divided by battery capacity.
Efficiency is much harder to flatter with a friendly test cycle, because a bigger battery cannot hide it. A car that needs 20 kWh to cover 100 km is more efficient than one needing 25 kWh regardless of which lab tested it, and efficiency is what actually determines your cost per kilometre once you own it.
That is also why two cars with identical range can cost noticeably different amounts to run: the one doing it on a smaller battery is using less electricity for the same distance.
What to do with all this
- Read the letters after the number. If a listing does not state the standard, treat that as a warning rather than a detail.
- Normalise before comparing. Discount NEDC by about a fifth against EPA. Do it in your head before you form an opinion.
- Compare efficiency where you can. Range divided by battery size is a fairer ranking than range alone.
- Subtract for your own conditions. Motorway commute, cold winter, or permanent air conditioning all take another meaningful bite.
Every vehicle on our EV and hybrid comparison hub shows its range standard on the same row as its range, and the hub’s default ranking flags how many entries sit on NEDC — precisely because mixing standards distorts any value comparison. The longest-range EVs page ranks on published range with the standard shown beside every figure, for the same reason.
Where to go next
- What you can actually buy in the Philippines — the models on sale here, with the test cycle noted on each
- Compare every EV and hybrid we track — with the test standard on every row
- Longest-range electric cars, ranked
- Best electric SUVs and best electric sedans
- EV battery health: how long do they last?
- How to track EV charging costs and cost per km
Whatever the brochure claims, the number that matters after you buy is your own. Kotselog logs every charge against your mileage and works out your real efficiency and cost per kilometre — the figure no test cycle can flatter. Open the app.
Vehicle figures are from our own maintained dataset, web-verified mid-2026 and cited per model on each EV detail page. Range claims are the manufacturer’s for a named trim, with the test cycle stated. The “EPA-equivalent” column is our illustration of commonly-cited conversion rules of thumb, not an official conversion — no such conversion exists, because these are different tests rather than different units.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between EPA, WLTP, NEDC and CLTC range?
They are four laboratory test cycles of decreasing strictness. EPA (United States) is the most realistic, because it includes higher speeds and a separate highway cycle. WLTP (Europe) is moderately optimistic. NEDC is the oldest European cycle and is very generous, still quoted for some vehicles in Asian markets. CLTC (China) is the most optimistic of the four. The same car tested on all four would post its lowest number on EPA and its highest on CLTC.
How much should I discount an NEDC range figure?
A commonly used rule of thumb is 20–25% below an equivalent EPA rating, and roughly 10–15% below WLTP. These are approximations, not conversion constants — the gap varies with the vehicle and the driving. Treat NEDC as an optimistic ceiling rather than a number you will see.
Which range standard is most accurate?
EPA is the closest of the four to real-world driving, mainly because it tests at higher speeds and weights the highway cycle more heavily. That does not make it a promise: sustained motorway speed, cold weather and heavy climate-control use will still take a further 15–25% off any rating.
Why do manufacturers use different standards?
Largely because they quote whichever standard applies in the market they are selling to. It is not usually deception — a car homologated for Europe quotes WLTP, one sold in the US quotes EPA. The problem arises when a buyer compares two figures side by side without noticing they came from different tests.
How do I compare two EVs fairly?
Check the standard first, then normalise before you compare. If one figure is NEDC and the other EPA, mentally discount the NEDC one by about a fifth before deciding which car goes further. Better still, compare efficiency — kWh per 100 km, or range divided by battery size — which is far harder to flatter with a friendly test cycle.
How Kotselog helps: Log fill-ups in seconds and see your real mileage — km/L or MPG — over time. See the fuel economy feature →
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