The featherweight EV that just embarrassed every heavy electric SUV on the Autobahn
AutoBild ran the EVs at a constant 130 km/h and the ranking flipped. Renault Twingo, Cupra Raval and Mini Aceman all stayed under 17 kWh — less weight beats a bigger battery.
A tiny Renault just did what nobody expected — it beat heavy electric SUVs on the highway, in their own signature discipline. AutoBild ran a batch of EVs at a constant 130 km/h, and the ranking flipped upside down. On top sit three compacts: Renault Twingo, Cupra Raval and Mini Aceman. The Twingo returned 14.4 kWh per 100 km, the Raval 15.2, the Aceman 16.2. All three came in under 17. The heavyweights with their huge batteries were left behind.
For an EV, the highway is the most honest exam there is. In town, regen forgives everything: lower speeds, frequent braking, and the extra mass barely dents the range. At high speed the illusions end. Here aerodynamics, weight, frontal area and drivetrain efficiency call the shots. That is why a big SUV that looks great on paper starts “eating” its charge far faster at 130 km/h. Suddenly the little cars’ win stops being a surprise.
Renault Twingo, Cupra Raval and Mini Aceman do not try to bully physics with a giant battery. They win another way — less weight, modest dimensions and a smarter powertrain. And for the owner, that is money in the bank. Every kilowatt-hour you do not burn per 100 km means a cheaper trip and less reliance on fast chargers. It is also a blow to the skeptics’ favourite fear: that a small EV is only good in the city and turns into a total compromise on the motorway.
The AutoBild test shows the opposite. Yes, a compact will not be the ideal companion for frequent long hauls with the family and luggage. But when it comes to efficiency at high speed, it can leave far pricier and heavier cars in the dust.
There is a flip side, of course. Low consumption does not automatically crown the best long-distance car. A big battery still delivers range on a long route, and charging speed can matter more than a couple of saved kilowatt-hours. But if you mostly move around the city, hit the highway now and then and actually count the cost of ownership, compact EVs start to look far more convincing. And the takeaway stings for the heavy-EV crowd: range is bought with a battery, but efficiency is bought with engineering and restraint.