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<\/a><\/p>\nEquipped with a net battery capacity of 84.7 kWh, and a claimed upper-end range of 470 km, the Jaguar I-Pace achieved the most impressive distance on the day, circling the Gerotek Oval in Gauteng for a total of 277 km, at a true average speed of 119.9 km\/h.<\/p>\n
“This sort of range could be equated to driving from Johannesburg to Pretoria and back twice, with plenty of mileage to spare,” said AutoTrader.<\/p>\n
According to PlugShare, there are as many as 71 charging points within a 3.2 km radius between these two points, illustrating the fact that South Africa\u2019s larger metropolitan areas are better stocked with charging options than many might believe, it added.<\/p>\n
The BMW i3s e-drive REx – the test was conducted with this derivative\u2019s range-extender fuel tank emptied – finished on 168.5 km, with its GPS-verified average speed settling on 120.02 km\/h, while the MINI Cooper SE was just behind on 147.7 km, at a true average speed of 119 km\/h.<\/p>\n
With net battery capacities of 37.9 kWh and 28.9 kWh and advertised ranges of 285 km and 215 km respectively, these two new-energy hatchbacks are designed to excel at city driving rather than out on the open road, so their final results are by no means underwhelming, particularly when one considers the average daily commute for South African car drivers is a mere 22 km one way, said AutoTrader.<\/p>\n
The three sub-R2.5 million EVs available to purchase in South Africa at the time of the inaugural open-road simulation were driven in their respective eco modes \u2013 Eco for the I-Pace, Eco Pro in the case of the i3s and Green for the Cooper SE \u2013 from a fully charged state, with each one\u2019s air-conditioning system set at 21\u00b0C on auto (the ambient temperature at the track on the day was recorded as 28\u00b0C).<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we believe it\u2019s important to set an official benchmark in South African conditions rather than relying on typically cooler European testing scenarios, our broader aim is simply to educate local consumers. Range anxiety is a hurdle many potential buyers face and this test will help them form a better understanding of the variations in range when it comes to EVs,\u201d said AutoTrader\u2019s CEO, George Mienie.<\/p>\n
\u201cOwing to our familiarity with traditional petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles, we\u2019re used to equating stop-start city driving with high fuel consumption, and highway cruising with better economy, but the opposite proves true for electric cars. This is the sort of interesting information the test highlights, helping inform consumers as EVs become more widespread in our market,\u201d said Mienie.<\/p>\n
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BMW i3s e-drive REx – Price from R914 000<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Jaguar I-Pace- Priced from R2 004 800<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n MINI Cooper SE – Priced from R709 400<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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