EV EV Scorecard
2026 Awards Results

Best Electric Cars — 2026 Awards Results

2026 Tesla Model 3 named #1 in the EV Scorecard 2026 evaluation. The best electric cars of 2026 are ranked by EV Scorecard's annual evaluation of battery-electric vehicles, scored across range per dollar, EPA estimated range, charging capability, published expert score, cargo practicality, and price accessibility. This page is the fixed, citable record of the 2026 edition; future editions publish at their own year URL. Every range figure carries its fueleconomy.gov record ID.

Edition: 2026 annual · method_version: 2026.10 · supersedes: — · status: PROVISIONAL

01

2026 Tesla Model 3 C&D 10/10 Sedan

Car and Driver's 10/10 electric sedan ($38,630 as listed): its editors write that the Model 3 "practically invented the EV sedan segment". EPA records cover every trim — 309 to 363 miles, topping out at the Premium RWD (record 50038) — and this desk's cross-check found C&D's printed range matches the EPA set exactly. Terms of the comparison: MSRP as quoted by C&D, destination and incentives excluded.

  • epa_range: 309–363 mi (EPA 50038 = 363)
  • msrp: $38,630 (C&D)
  • cd_rating: 10/10
Model 3 vs CLA EV →
02

2026 Lucid Air Longest EPA Range: 512 mi

Car and Driver rates it 10/10 at $72,400 and credits its range with ending anxiety; the EPA record goes further than C&D's own print — the Air G Touring XR AWD on 19-inch wheels is rated 512 miles, the longest figure in this desk's 2026 set (record 49966). We publish the EPA number, not C&D's 420–480, and the discrepancy is documented on our EPA range page.

  • epa_range: up to 512 mi (EPA 49966)
  • msrp: $72,400 (C&D)
  • cd_rating: 10/10
Lucid vs Taycan →
03

2026 Porsche Taycan Luxury Performance 10/10

Car and Driver's third 10/10 in this set, listed at $108,050. Here too the EPA record outruns the printed range: the EPA rates the Taycan 4 Performance Battery Plus on 19-inch M+S wheels at up to 315 miles (record 50456) against C&D's 251–293, so the EPA figure is what we publish. The case for the Taycan is the same one C&D's instrumented testing rewards — driving experience — and that is precisely the dimension this desk does not re-score itself.

  • epa_range: up to 315 mi (EPA 50456)
  • msrp: $108,050 (C&D)
  • cd_rating: 10/10
Taycan vs Lucid →
04

2026 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo 10/10 Wagon Body

The wagon-bodied Taycan carries the same Car and Driver 10/10 at a $120,095 list price — the highest in this run. Per-trim EPA records for the wagon were not pulled in this pass, so no EPA range is published for it yet.

  • msrp: $120,095 (C&D)
  • cd_rating: 10/10
How we score →
05

2026 BMW i4 Best Under $60k Performance

Car and Driver's 9.5/10 performance sedan at $59,250. The EPA rates the i4 eDrive40 Gran Coupe on 18-inch wheels at up to 333 miles (record 50188), with the 19-inch wheel option dropping to 307 — the clearest single illustration in this set that wheel choice moves EPA range.

  • epa_range: up to 333 mi (EPA 50188)
  • msrp: $59,250 (C&D)
  • cd_rating: 9.5/10
How we score →
06

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class EV Longest Range Under $50k

Car and Driver's 8.5/10 sedan at $48,500 carries the longest EPA range of any car in this run priced under $50,000: 374 miles for the CLA250 Plus with EQ Technology on the low-rolling-resistance tires (record 50031) — the same-tire caveat matters, because the regular-tire variant drops to 317 (record 50030).

  • epa_range: up to 374 mi (EPA 50031)
  • msrp: $48,500 (C&D)
  • cd_rating: 8.5/10
CLA vs Model 3 →
07

2026 Tesla Model Y Top EPA Range in Our SUV Set

Tesla's electric SUV. The EPA rates the Model Y Long Range RWD at 357 miles (record 49743), with the AWD at 327 and the Standard at 321. A Car and Driver score and an MSRP on the same basis as the other entries were not captured in this pass, so neither is shown.

  • epa_range: up to 357 mi (EPA 49743)
How we score →
08

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Three-Row, EPA 335 mi

Hyundai's three-row electric SUV, the only three-row body in this set. The EPA rates the Ioniq 9 RWD at up to 335 miles (record 49661). A Car and Driver score and an MSRP on the same basis as the other entries were not captured in this pass, so neither is shown.

  • epa_range: up to 335 mi (EPA 49661)
How we score →
09

2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E EPA 320 mi Crossover

Ford's electric crossover. The EPA rates the Mustang Mach-E RWD Extended at 320 miles (record 50205), the AWD Extended at 300. A Car and Driver score and an MSRP on this desk's basis were not captured in this pass, so neither is shown.

  • epa_range: up to 320 mi (EPA 50205)
How we score →
10

2026 Kia EV6 EPA 319 mi Crossover

Kia's electric crossover. The EPA rates the EV6 Long Range RWD at 319 miles (record 50214). A Car and Driver score and an MSRP on this desk's basis were not captured in this pass, so neither is shown.

  • epa_range: up to 319 mi (EPA 50214)
How we score →

Editor's note on this edition

The 2026 order is provisional: it reflects the fields verified at publication time (EPA range records, Car and Driver scores and MSRPs where captured), while weighted index scores publish once the charging-spec, cargo and remaining-MSRP passes complete (method and data coverage). The list is extensible: cars are added and re-ranked under the same published rules, and any change is a new content revision of this page.

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