Range anxiety may slowly be dissipating from the psyches of Canadian motorists, replaced by other concerns. At least, that’s the calculation being made by the folks at the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). The organization recently held what it called the 2026 EV Circuit, which sought to address questions of energy efficiency, recharging time and cost instead of worries about being able to get to destination at all.
CAA’s 2026 EV Circuit
The real-world evaluation organized by the CAA sent 22 electric vehicles along a 230-km route from Blue Mountain to Vaughan in Ontario. Representation was wide: The fleet of EVs taking part together accounted for more than three-quarters of all new EV models available for sale in Canada.
The fleet had the weather goddesses on their side, in the event, and that was reflected in the data. Under what organizers described as optimal September weather conditions, every single vehicle completed the route without needing a mid-trip charge. The group of vehicles used an average of just 40 percent of their total battery capacity. Of the participating models, the Chevrolet Silverado EV used up the least of its charge, only 20 percent, while the Lucid Gravity powered trough 55 percent of its charge to sit last in that category.
The participating EVs consumed roughly the energy equivalent of 2.0L/100 km, a far cry from the 8.0L-10L/100 km average most owners of gas-engine vehicles are used to in Canada.
The good, the bad and the ugly
Not all EVs being created equal, the energy-efficiency gap between individual electric models proved substantial. Energy consumption ranged from a stingy 11.43 kWh/100 km to a gourmandesque 28.91 kWh/100 km, illustrating the impact of vehicle weight, aerodynamics and powertrain design.
Energy efficiency of each EV
If you’re thinking that the path from most to least efficient EV follows the same trajectory as increasing size and weight, well you’re right, in general terms. But the best performer during CAA’s little adventure was not the smallest. The Toyota bZ emerged as the most energy-efficient vehicle on test, recording 11.43 kWh/100 km. It was followed closely followed by the Tesla Model Y (11.81 kWh/100 km) and Tesla Model 3 (11.85 kWh/100 km).
At the other end of the scale sat, indeed, heavyweights, like the Lucid Gravity at 28.91 kWh/100 km, the GMC HUMMER EV SUV at 23.55 kWh/100 km and the Tesla Cybertruck at 23.41 kWh/100 km. Proof, as if we needed it, that while you can overcome size and weight up to a point, there’s a limit. Here’s the full report card:
1) Toyota bZ - 11.43 kWh/100 km
2) Tesla Model Y - 11.81
3) Tesla Model 3 - 11.85
4) Kia EV4 – 11.89
5) Nissan LEAF – 12.48
6) Hyundai Ioniq 5 – 13.40
7) Hyundai Kona Electric – 13.64
8) VW ID.4 – 14.39
9) Chevrolet Equinox EV – 14.47
10) Mercedes-Benz CLA – 15.22
11) Hyundai Ioniq 9 – 15.52
12) Lucid Air – 16.25
13) BMW iX3 – 16.59
14) Ford Mustang Mach-E – 16.82
15) Chevrolet Silverado EV – 17.23
16) Polestar 4 – 17.60
17) VW ID. Buzz – 18.47
18) Cadillac Lyriq – 19.10
19) Rivian R1T – 19.96
20) Tesla Cybertruck – 23.41
21) GMC Hummer EV SUV – 23.55
22) Lucid Gravity – 28.91
The late-summer test also highlighted the dramatic influence of ambient temperature on battery efficiency. Compared to CAA's February 2025 winter evaluation, during which batteries were run to complete depletion, the 2026 late-summer fleet consumed roughly 40 percent less energy on average.
Speed of recharging each EV
To evaluate real-world road-trip convenience, organizers subjected the fleet to a standardized 15-minute fast-charging session at Tesla Superchargers. On average, vehicles added 110 km of displayed range in that time window, with nearly two-thirds gaining at least 100 km:
- Overall average – 110 km gained in 15 min
1) Lucid Gravity – 178 km in 15 min
2) Hyundai Ioniq 5 – 136
3) Mercedes-Benz CLA – 135
4) Cadillac Lyriq - 131
5) Nissan LEAF – 126
6) VW ID.4 - 125
7) Tesla Model 3 – 123
8) Rivian R1T - 123
9) BMW iX3 - 121
10) VW ID. Buzz – 118
11) Hyundai Ioniq 9 – 108
12) Hyundai Kona Electric - 105
13) Ford Mustang Mach-E – 105
14) Kia EV4 – 104
15) Toyota bZ – 99
16) Tesla Cybertruck – 98
17) Tesla Model Y – 97
18) GMC Hummer EV SUV - 90
19) Chevrolet Silverado EV – 80
20) Chevrolet Equinox EV - 71
21) Lucid Air - 58
(CAA noted that the Polestar 4 experienced a technical complication and did not complete the charging test).
Cost of recharging each EV
And what about cost? There was also much variety in how much it cost to recharge each EV taking part. Here’s what that looked like, calculated by measuring the cost of adding 100 km of range at a public fast charger:
- Overall average - $13.45/100 km
1) Tesla Model 3 - $7.28
2) Tesla Model Y - $8.23
3) Nissan LEAF - $10.13
4) Kia EV4 - $10.25
5) Hyundai Ioniq 5 - $10.68
6) Hyundai Kona Electric - $10.70
7) VW ID.4 - $11.46
8) Lucid Air - $12.05
9) BMW iX3 - $12.26
10) Mercedes-Benz CLA - $12.56
11) Toyota bZ - $13.01
12) Cadillac Lyriq - $14.40
13) Chevrolet Equinox EV - $14.59
14) Ford Mustang Mach-E - $14.63
15) Hyundai Ioniq 9 - $15.38
16) VW ID. Buzz - $15.48
17) Tesla Cybertruck - $
18) Rivian R1T - $17.85
19) Chevrolet Silverado EV - $19.05
20) GMC Hummer EV SUV - $24.39
Final word goes to CAA:
"For most motorists, the question is no longer really whether an electric vehicle will get them to their destination, but rather how quickly it will recharge, how much that recharge will cost and how efficiently the vehicle will use its energy. As the Canadian market matures, drivers are encouraged to compare charging speed and energy efficiency just as carefully as they once evaluated fuel economy figures.
- Pierre-Serge Labbé, VP of mobility services at CAA-Quebec