Norway El Prix winter EV test: 38% range loss and what UK drivers can learn

Norway’s annual NAF El Prix winter test, run in January 2026, found that electric cars lost 38% of their official WLTP range on average, and none matched its rated figure. It was the coldest El Prix yet, at around -31°C, so a UK driver will not see losses that large. It still shows which cars hold their range best as winter approaches.

This is the January 2026 test, the most recent one. It ran over two days in Folldal, with Norway’s motoring federation NAF and Motor magazine (Greenfleet).

How did the 2026 El Prix go?

The cars were charged fully and driven until they ran out, in conditions that fell to -31°C. The Lucid Air Grand Touring covered about 520km (322 miles), and the Mercedes-Benz CLA came second with 421km (Electrek; InsideEVs).

Distance and range retention are different measures. The Lucid is a large car with a big battery, so it went furthest in absolute terms, but it did not hold on to its rated range as well as some small cars.

Car	Result
Lucid Air Grand Touring	About 520km, furthest
Mercedes-Benz CLA	421km, second
Tesla Model Y	359km, about 40% below rating
MG 6S	29% loss, tied for smallest
Hyundai Inster	29% loss, tied for smallest
MG IM6	30% loss

Sources: Carscoops, Greenfleet, EV Powered.

Which cars held range best?

Small and mid-size cars did best on percentage. The MG 6S achieved 345km against a 485km WLTP rating, a 29% loss, and the Hyundai Inster matched that percentage (EV Powered). A pre-production Kia EV2 lost just 25%, covering 310.6km against a claimed 413km, although it is not in the official results.

For how heating technology affects winter range, see why an EV heat pump matters.

How does this compare with a UK winter?

Norway’s -31°C is far colder than a typical British January, so treat the 38% average as a worst case. UK studies show smaller losses: a 2023 What Car? test of 12 EVs found shortfalls of 16.2% to more than 30%, and a Tempcover analysis of 40 popular UK EVs, using EV Database figures, found an average cut of 27% (The Energyst).

Study	Range loss
NAF El Prix 2026, around -31°C	38% average
Tempcover, 40 popular UK EVs	27% average
What Car? test (2023)	16.2% to over 30%

The AA says there is no evidence EVs struggle in UK cold. It reported that only 2.3% of its January 2024 call-outs to EVs were for batteries running out of power (Irish News). Our guide to the biggest myths about switching to an EV covers the wider fear.

Why does cold hit range so hard?

Cold slows the chemical reactions inside the battery, so the pack delivers less usable energy, and the car also spends more energy heating the cabin and the battery itself. Short trips suffer most, because the car heats everything from cold and never settles into an efficient state. Our explainer on what affects electric car range most ranks these factors, and the guide on charging in cold weather covers the slower charging that comes with them.

The El Prix is useful because every car faces the same road and the same cold.

What does the test not tell you?

A single run in one place, on one set of days, has limits. The result shows what happens at -31°C, not at 3°C with rain, which is a more typical British winter day. Wet roads and headwinds cost range too, and few commutes run a battery to empty.

The comparison across models is still worth reading. Even so, if you are choosing between two cars, the one that kept more of its rating in the Norwegian cold has at least shown it copes better with the cold.

What this means for you

UK studies suggest a loss of roughly a sixth to a third of rated range in cold conditions, so plan with a margin. Our guide to how much range you lose in winter goes further, and preconditioning while plugged in is the cheapest fix.

If winter range matters, see the best electric cars for cold weather range and check WLTP versus real-world range. Keep a margin when you charge, and use the route planner apps to find a charger before you need one.