The Most Efficient Compact Electric Car In 2024

For most electric vehicles (EVs) in recent memory, automakers have been fitting these vehicles with larger batteries to increase range. However, that’s not going to be a viable and sustainable strategy as you’re going to use too many resources as well as make an EV too heavy. That added weight will also mean a less efficient EV, and when you hit a certain battery size, you’ll reach a point of diminishing returns. Make an EV carry a battery that’s too big, your range gains will probably become insignificant.

Until our automotive engineers can make batteries that are lighter and more energy-dense than what we’re capable of today, will we truly be able to make long-range EVs? For now, the best way to make a long-range EV is through a combination of a large enough battery and an energy-efficient electric drivetrain. Unsurprisingly, just like with internal combustion engines (ICE), there are models and brands that make EVs that are more efficient than others.

If you’re reading this, you’re also probably interested in owning an EV–the most efficient one in the compact car segment, to be precise. Unfortunately, unlike the electric crossover SUV segment, there are far fewer options in the electric compact car segment. All of them are also from what’s considered a premium brand. However, thanks to one brand that’s been drastically reducing prices over the past year, that compact electric car isn’t just the most efficient, but it’s also the most affordable.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Tesla, Polestar, BMW, Chevrolet, and other authoritative sources, including Automotive World and EPA.

The Most Efficient Compact Electric Car Is From Tesla

If you want the most efficient compact electric car, that would be from Tesla. Specifically, you’d have to get the Model 3 for that. Just as a disclaimer, the Hyundai Ioniq 6, which is priced similarly to the Tesla, is already considered a midsize electric car, with a length of 191.1 inches versus 185.8 inches for the Model 3. Just to set the tone for the Tesla, we’ll also include the Polestar 2, which measures 181.3 inches long, and the BMW i4, which measures 188.4 inches long.

The Most Efficient, But Not The Longest Range

As mentioned a while ago, there is a balance between offering a large enough battery and an efficient electric drivetrain to provide the best possible range. In the case of the Model 3, and with most other EVs as well, the most efficient version is the base RWD, which has a combined energy efficiency of 132 MPGe. That’s actually one of the best outright in the entire EV industry, which is only bested by the Lucid Air Pure and Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Long Range, both of which have an energy efficiency of 140 MPGe.

Compared to the industry’s best, the Model 3 RWD stacks up really well, but how about the Model 3 Long Range AWD? Well, the Model 3 Long Range AWD is marginally less efficient at 130 MPGe, but because it has a much larger battery that Tesla doesn’t disclose these days, it has the longest range among compact electric cars at 342 miles.

As for the BMW i4 and Polestar 2, this is how the two Europeans in their most efficient forms stack up against the most efficient Model 3. For consistency’s sake, we’ll be comparing them with their base specs, which means having the smallest wheel options that are available for these models.

*Note: Tesla does not reveal power figures for its models anymore except for the Performance variant.

It Comes With A Diverse Charging Network To Match

Not only is the Tesla Model 3 RWD the most efficient compact electric car, but it also happens to be supported by the most diverse charging network in America. Of course, what we’re pertaining to is the Tesla Supercharger network, which also happens to be the most reliable to use according to J.D. Power.

Due to its reliability and sheer diversity, combined with the fact that Tesla is the most popular EV brand in the United States, the industry has decided to even adopt Tesla’s charging port standard, which has been slightly redesigned and is now called the North American Charging Standard (NACS).

However, as more automakers natively adopt NACS to their EVs, it may pose a challenge to Tesla as it could eventually face overcrowding in its Supercharging stations at some point, though this is going to be somewhat offset by the fact that other EV charging companies like Electrify America have also pledged to adopting the NACS port standard.

What Else You Get With A Model 3 RWD

Apart from having an efficient compact electric car, what you also get with the Model 3 RWD is a good amount of features. The Model 3 RWD also happens to be the most affordable electric compact sedan in 2024, which means you’re getting pretty good value for your money. Additionally, thanks to the structural and suspension updates that, as verified by one of our reviewers, the Model 3’s driving dynamics have also been improved.

A Refined And Athletic Driving Experience

The Tesla Model 3 got a refresh for this year, but with the RWD model, there are no improvements in terms of performance or range. Where it improves upon the previous model is its refinement and handling. Beginning with refinement, thanks to revisions in the suspension as well as the stiffening of the body structure, the Model 3 does a better job of reducing road imperfections before they reach the cabin.

Road and wind noise in the pre-facelift Model 3 wasn’t also best-in-class, but the addition of acoustic glass and improving the seals surrounding the doors have improved refinement by a lot. Next, in terms of handling, the updated suspension not only improved the ride, but it also gave the Model 3 improved and more precise handling. It now has true sports sedan qualities that make it one of the best to drive in its segment.

It’s All In The Details

While the exterior styling has also been revised by giving it a cleaner aesthetic, where the Model 3 now deserves credit is with its interior. At first glance, the facelift barely has done anything to the cabin, but take a look at the finer details of the Model 3, and you’ll see that the build quality is far nicer than before.

The materials are also better this time around, and as part of the facelift, there’s an LED ambient light strip that surrounds the cabin. Ditto the main infotainment screen, which, while visually the same, actually has a sharper display and a faster refresh rate. Speaking of screens, there’s now a secondary screen for the rear occupants that allows them to access some of the vehicle’s features as well as a few entertainment features.

But The Model 3 RWD Will Have A Tough Time

Unfortunately, not all is well and good for the Tesla Model 3. While the refresh couldn’t have come at the right time, there are looming challenges for the Model 3–specifically this RWD variant. With a base price of $38,990, it is the most affordable electric car, but it’s facing both an existential crisis and a worthy challenger that will make it even more difficult to justify the Model 3 RWD’s existence.

It Has A Severe Case Of Sibling Rivalry

Unfortunately, the Model 3 RWD is not the most affordable Tesla outright. That would be the Model Y RWD Long Range, whose 320-mile EPA-estimated range is not only nearly 50 miles better than what the Model 3 RWD could do, but it also has a potential base price of $37,490, when taking into account the $7,500 federal tax credit. In case you’re wondering, the Model 3 RWD is not eligible for the $7,500 tax credit. Sucks to be a Model 3 RWD at the moment, because this is a case of the Model 3 RWD being far less competitive than the Model Y Long Range RWD whilst also being slightly more expensive.

Oh, And Don’t Forget The Chevrolet Equinox EV, Too

Perhaps the final nail to the coffin to the Model 3 RWD’s competitiveness is another electric crossover that has better achievements than this model. I’m talking about the Chevrolet Equinox EV, where the base 1LT, which is set to hit the market very soon, will have a base price of an eye-wateringly low $34,995.

That doesn’t yet take into account the $7,500 federal tax credit, which, by then, will mean that an Equinox EV 1LT will have a potential base price of just $27,495. Not only is that at price parity with ICE-powered compact crossovers, but it also has far more range than the Model 3 RWD at 319 miles (EPA-estimated range for Equinox EVs with 19-inch wheels like the 1LT). Lastly, it’s a compact electric crossover. Need I say more?