Electric car range has climbed so far that a few models now stand out for the opposite reason. A look at 2026 ratings turns up cars from small city hatchbacks to luxury SUVs that fall short of 265 miles on a charge. Here are twelve of them, starting with the shortest-range car of the group.
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1. Fiat 500e: The Range Floor
City-sized cars come with city-sized batteries, and the Fiat 500e shows it. Engadget’s roundup puts a 149-mile rating on the 2026 model, the shortest of any electric car in its list and the reason the whole group sits at the low end of the market.
That figure suits short commutes and urban errands far better than highway trips. Anyone planning regular long drives would need to stop and recharge much sooner than in most of the other cars on this page, which all post higher ratings.
2. Hyundai Kona Electric: Entry Trim Trade-Off
The Hyundai Kona Electric in SE trim is rated at 200 miles of range, according to Engadget. That puts the small crossover second from the bottom of this ranking, behind only the Fiat 500e.
The number applies to the base trim specifically, so buyers who step up within the lineup should check the rating for the exact version they want. The Kona works best as a compact commuter first and a road-trip car second.
3. Mini Countryman Electric: Wheels Matter
The Mini Countryman Electric is rated at 212 miles with 18-inch wheels and 204 miles with 19-inch wheels, according to Gadget Review. Car and Driver testing at 75 mph came in lower still, at 180 miles.
Wheel choice alone shifts the rating by eight miles, and sustained highway speed cuts the distance much further. The gap between the rating and the test result shows that sticker numbers describe mixed driving, not interstate cruising.
4. Volvo EX30: Three Ranges, One Name
The Volvo EX30 carries several ratings depending on configuration, as 227 miles for the Cross Country version shows. BGR lists the Twin Motor at 253 miles and the Single Motor at 261.
Even the best of those sits just under the 265-mile line that defines this list. The spread also shows how much drivetrain choice matters, since the Cross Country gives up the most distance of the three versions in exchange for added capability.
5. Lexus RZ: Luxury, Limited Legs
The Lexus RZ in F Sport form is rated at 229 miles, per Gadget Review. That is a modest number for a premium electric crossover that sits well above the price of the small cars at the top of this list.
The rating attaches to the F Sport trim specifically, so other versions may differ. Shoppers who care more about distance than badge or styling would want to compare ratings across the RZ lineup before choosing.
6. Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV: Big SUV, Short Range
Gadget Review lists the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV at 230 miles on the EPA estimate. The AMG badge signals a performance focus, but the rating shows it does not bring much distance along with it.
The figure is an EPA estimate for a large electric SUV, a body style that spends battery charge quickly. At this rating, it fits best as a fast regional cruiser used with reliable charging near home, rather than as a cross-country machine.
7. Toyota bZ: Toyota’s Modest Number
Toyota’s bZ electric crossover is rated at 235 miles of range, according to Engadget. A BGR listing puts the same model at 236, a one-mile difference between the two publications.
Small discrepancies like that are normal when trims and rounding differ from one source to the next. Either way, the bZ lands in the middle of this group, comfortably below the 265-mile line that frames the whole list, and it trails the Kia EV6 by two miles.
8. Kia EV6: Sporty but Short
The Kia EV6 is rated at 237 miles, Engadget reports, which places the sleek crossover near the top of this under-265 list and only a few miles shy of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class EV.
A rating like this covers most daily driving comfortably but leaves less margin on long trips. Cold weather typically trims range further, so drivers in northern climates would likely see a smaller number in winter, so the cushion matters more than it first appears.
9. Mercedes-Benz G-Class EV: Boxy and Battery-Hungry
BGR rates the Mercedes-Benz G-Class EV at 239 miles. The upright, heavy body was never designed for efficiency, so a modest figure follows naturally for an electric version of the boxy off-roader.
The electric G-Class keeps the original truck’s shape and character, and limited range is part of the price of that identity. Owners who buy it for presence and capability rather than long-distance touring may accept the compromise, but anyone expecting a long-distance tourer will find it falls short.
10. Dodge Charger Daytona: Muscle Without Miles
The Dodge Charger Daytona is rated at 241 miles, Gadget Review says, a modest figure for a muscle car built around electric power instead of a big gasoline engine.
Performance versions spend energy quickly, and the Charger is no exception. Edmunds lists a 2025 Daytona Scat Pack at an EPA 216 miles, which shows how much the choice of version moves the number up or down, even within a single model name and model year.
11. Hyundai Ioniq 5: Standard Battery Caveat
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 earns 245 miles on the standard 63 kWh trim, according to BGR, while all-wheel-drive variants stretch to 290 miles.
The headline figure belongs to the smaller battery, which is the version that lands on this list. Buyers who want more distance can look at the all-wheel-drive models instead, though they would be choosing a different configuration from the one rated here, which is why the standard trim defines its place on this page.
12. Nissan Leaf: Rated Short, Tested Long
The 2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+ carries an EPA rating of 259 miles, according to Edmunds, making it the longest-range car on this list and the closest to the 265-mile cutoff.
Edmunds’ own testing measured 310 miles, well above the sticker. The result shows that official ratings can be conservative, and that a car near the bottom of a range chart may still go farther in real driving than its number suggests, a useful caveat when comparing every figure on this page.
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