A Ford Mustang Mach-E has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an electric car on a single charge, covering an impressive 569.64 miles. The previous record was set by the Chinese carmaker Zeekr's autonomous division, covering 563.97 miles in Hangzhou, China.
The record-setting drive was conducted in Great Britain by the fleet management company Webfleet, which is owned by tire giant Bridgestone. With its charging port sealed to prevent tampering, the Mustang Mach-E departed from Norwich shortly after midnight a few days ago, taking 24 hours to complete a loop spanning the Northern U.K.
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Range anxiety prevents wider EV adoption.
The fear of running out of battery power in the middle of nowhere is overblown. An increasing number of EVs are now capable of driving over 300 miles on a single charge. And experts are demonstrating that EVs can compete with gas cars when it comes to covering vast distances.
Driven under real-world conditions by expert drivers, the car navigated city roads, highways, and the countryside. The Mustang Mach-E easily surpassed its 372-mile WLTP range, covering well over 500 miles. (In the U.S., the Mach-E has an EPA-estimated range of up to 320 miles.)
But it's worth noting that the car seemed to be driven with extreme caution. The weather appeared ideal and the drivers were likely very gentle with the throttle.
"This doesn't mean that everyone is going to be driving like we are," said Sam Clarke, the chief vehicle officer of British charging and energy company Gridserve. "They're not going to do 568 miles on a single charge. But it does at least demonstrate what can be done with an EV and that in almost every single use case, there's nothing wrong with an EV."
The Tesla Model Y rival is equipped with a 91-kilowatt-hour battery. For the purpose of this test, Webfleet picked the extended range rear wheel drive Mach-E equipped with 18-inch wheels, all in the interest of maximizing range. It also had low rolling resistance Bridgestone tires. Webfleet claims the driving data was independently verified using video footage, odometer readings, GPS, and battery level data.
"A person will need to stop before the car needs to stop. So when you stop, you may as well charge it. That's not really an issue with big infrastructure improvements," said Kevin Booker, a freelance EV and sustainability consultant.
Gallery: 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Range anxiety remains one of the biggest obstacles to wider EV adoption. However, the fact that several new models can now cover more than 300 miles on a single charge has often been overlooked.
According to one estimate, the average daily driving distance in the U.S. is only 42 miles. Plus, the charging infrastructure is rapidly growing in all major economies. Pew Research Center says 64% of Americans live within two miles of a public charging station. Ninety-five percent of Americans have at least one public charger in their county.
With advancements in battery technology, let’s hope that 570 miles of range can one day become a reality not just for record holders, but also for regular drivers.
