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With elevated gas prices across the country, you might want to consider an electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid. It is a prudent choice, especially with the societal push for EV charging architecture and the rapidly improving technology. Still, if you want the most efficient car possible, choose one of these economical EV options, like the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt EV. 

  • Tesla Model 3
  • Lucid Air Grand Touring
  • Tesla Model Y
  • Chevrolet Bolt EV
  • Hyundai Kona Electric

The Tesla Model 3 tops the list of most efficient cars

The Tesla Model 3 has had a fortuitous couple of years, sweeping safety awards, awards from publications, and enjoying the lowest depreciation rates of any EV. Still, the good news keeps coming with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) putting the baby Tesla at the top of its most efficient cars list. Specifically, the single motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) variant gets 132 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). 

The Tesla Model 3 tops the list of the most efficient cars on the market.
Tesla Model 3 | Tesla

Lucid Air snags the number two spot with 131 MPGe

The Lucid Air Grand Touring is elegant, luxurious, and yes, quite efficient. The Tesla-targeting EV sedan boasts 130 MPGe in the city and 132 MPGe at highway speeds. That gives the Lucid Air a combined 131 MPGe. However, if you want one of the fastest EVs in the world, you’ll have to opt for the 1,111-horsepower Lucid Air Dream Performance Edition. 

How efficient is the Tesla Model Y?

The Tesla Model Y shares many of the same safety credentials as a Tesla Model 3 but fails to snag the top spot. The EPA awards the Model Y the third spot to the 2022 Tesla Model Y RWD. The lumpy Tesla gets a staggering 140 MPGe in the city and 119 MPGe at highway speeds. Those numbers give the Model Y a combined score of 129 MPGe. 

The Tesla Model Y is efficient enough to make the EPA's list of economical cars.
Tesla Model Y | Tesla

What is the range of the Chevrolet Bolt EV?

The Chevrolet Bolt EV boasts 259 miles of electric range on a single charge. That’s great for a reasonably priced electric car with four doors and nearly 100 cubic feet of interior space. In terms of price, the upcoming 2023 Bolt EV has a starting cost of $26,595, putting it well below a Tesla Model 3. Still, the Bolt uses its charge efficiently, with a combined economy of 120 MPGe. 

The Chevrolet Bolt EV makes the list of the most efficient cars along the Lucid Air and Tesla Model 3.
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV | General Motors

The Hyundai Kona Electric is one of the most efficient cars you can buy

The 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric packs a 258-mile range on a single charge, courtesy of its 64-kWh architecture. The Kona Electric manages an estimated 132 MPGe in the city and 108 MPGe at highway speeds. As a result, the Hyundai Kona Electric is good for 120 MPGe combined, earning it a spot on the EPA’s list. 

Which EV should you buy?

If you want an EV that ticks just about every box, the Tesla Model 3 is quite a contender. The Model 3 even protected an occupant from a large tree falling on its roof recently. However, if you’re looking for a cheap, practical, and efficient EV, the upcoming 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV will save you some serious money. Scroll down to the following article to read more about EVs!  

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