The era of the 400-mile range EV is upon us

The auto industry is slowly flipping its calendars into the 2027 model year, and the transition is bringing a new crop of EVs with 400-plus miles of range.

That was once a rare bragging point reserved for ultra-luxury sedans and gargantuan electric trucks.

It’s an important development, especially for the US market.

While the rest of the world has started to embrace fully electric driving amid sky-high fuel costs, American drivers have lagged China and Europe in adopting EVs, held back by range anxiety, high vehicle prices, and limited public charging access.

Automakers’ response: Make EVs go farther in the US market.

European manufacturers are leading that charge.

BMW’s next-generation EVs, called Neue Klasse, are the clearest example.

The coming i3 sedan is expected to travel up to 468 miles on a charge, while BMW says its new iX4 SUV coupe can go as far as 428 miles.

Those are preliminary estimates based on EPA testing procedures.

Its iX3 crossover SUV, meanwhile, has an official EPA rating of up to 434 miles.

Introducing THE NEW BMW iX4. #BMWiX4 #BMW #BMWNewEra #NeueKlasse #BMWGroup https://t.co/4kqvYE1E9s Fellow German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz is also joining the race.

The coming electric C-Class has a range of up to 474 miles, under Europe’s more generous range testing system.

Swedish automaker Volvo is also releasing the EX60 next year, including a trim with 400 miles of range.

The cars are largely priced in the mid-$60,000 range.

America has seen some 400-mile electric vehicles before, but so far, they’ve remained in a small corner of the consumer market.

The Lucid Air, priced between $70,000 and $250,500, boasts a 400-plus-mile range for consumers willing to make mortgage-like payments on a vehicle.

GM’s electric trucks and Cadillac Escalade IQ can also clear 400 miles, but their longest-range versions rely on enormous 205-kilowatt-hour battery packs.

The fresh EVs coming from luxury European carmakers feature smaller, more energy-dense battery cells that use their power more efficiently.

The iX3, for example, has a 109-kWh battery, almost half the size of GM’s highest-range EVs.

That won’t entirely solve America’s EV woes.

A $60,000 car is still out of reach for many buyers, and public charging can be scarce or unreliable, particularly in rural areas.

Still, luxury automakers often preview where the rest of the industry is going.

If this new generation of battery technology filters downmarket, 400 miles of range could eventually become less of a luxury flex — and more of a baseline.