Legacy and Regional EV Range Standards

In Japan, Nissan rated the same 40 kWh Leaf at 400 km under JC08 and 322 km under Japanese WLTC. For a used Leaf, check which test the seller is quoting before comparing it with another car. Nissan Japan: Leaf single-charge range under JC08 and WLTC

NEDC on older European cars

The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) repeated the same urban section four times, then added an extra-urban section that briefly reached 120 km/h. One complete cycle covered about 11 km at an average of 33.6 km/h. The laboratory set the resistance on its rollers to reproduce the car’s road load, including aerodynamic drag. The gentle accelerations and short time at high speed help explain why an NEDC rating can look generous for motorway driving. UN Regulation No. 101: NEDC energy-consumption and electric-range procedures

To measure electric range, the laboratory started with a fully charged car and repeated the cycle. At speeds above 50 km/h, a driver who fell behind the prescribed speed kept the accelerator fully pressed until the car caught up. The test ended if the car could no longer follow the speed curve at or below 50 km/h, or if its instruments told the driver to stop. The distance covered, rounded to the nearest kilometre, was its electric range. UN Regulation No. 101, Revision 2: electric range test

The EU phased in WLTP for new passenger-car types from 1 September 2017 and for new passenger cars generally from 1 September 2018. Under the end-of-series exception, eligible cars could still be sold until 31 August 2019. For a car registered around the changeover, look for the test name on its original certificate or specification sheet. European Commission: passenger-car transition dates

Australia’s change of range label

Australia’s ADR 81/02 used NEDC-based testing. For passenger cars with a gross vehicle mass of up to 3,500 kg, ADR 81/03 applies to models first produced on or after 1 July 2026. From 1 July 2028 it also applies to newly manufactured cars from existing models. Two new cars sold side by side in 2027 can therefore have range labels based on different procedures. Australian Government: Fuel consumption label and ADR 81/03 transition Australian Design Rule 81/03

ADR 81/03 adopts WLTP-based testing and also accepts specified alternatives, including a US procedure for electric range. Australian Design Rule 81/03 Look up the exact variant in the Green Vehicle Guide vehicle search and read the “Test Cycle” field. If it does not identify a procedure, check the manufacturer’s Australian specification for that variant.

Japan’s JC08 and WLTC figures

An older Japanese brochure may show both JC08 and WLTC, as Nissan’s Leaf figures illustrate. Japan’s passenger-car WLTC combines low-, medium- and high-speed driving. Nissan Japan: Leaf consumption by driving phase Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Introduction of WLTP The European four-phase cycle adds an extra-high-speed phase. Even when both markets use the letters WLTC, their combined results cover different driving. For the four-phase test, see the European WLTP procedure.

On Nissan’s later Japanese Leaf specification sheet, 一充電走行距離 gives distance on one charge in kilometres. Under 交流電力量消費率, the highway figure for the 40 kWh Leaf is 171 Wh/km. It tells you how much electricity the car uses per kilometre in the highway phase. Nissan Japan: Leaf consumption by driving phase

India’s urban and combined MIDC range

ARAI stands for the Automotive Research Association of India. An “ARAI range” claim alone does not tell you which parts of the Modified Indian Driving Cycle (MIDC) a car completed. The 2015 version of AIS-040 specified the urban section alone (Part I) for M1 passenger cars and eligible M2 vehicles up to 3,500 kg. The November 2021 amendment required a second test combining the urban and extra-urban sections (Part I + Part II). The urban-only distance remained the type-approved range. AIS-040 Revision 1, including Amendments 2 and 3

Amendment 3, dated 4 April 2024, specified the combined Part I + Part II cycle for those vehicles and removed the provision designating the urban-only distance as the approval value. When comparing brochures, check whether each figure covers urban driving alone (P1) or urban and extra-urban driving (P1 + P2). A change in the quoted range can come from the extra-urban driving included in the test. AIS-040 Revision 1, including Amendments 2 and 3

South Korea’s city, highway and combined range

Hyundai’s Korean table lists two combined ranges for the 2025 IONIQ 5 Long Range 2WD on 19-inch wheels. The version without the Built-in Cam is rated at 533 km in the city, 426 km on the highway and 485 km combined. With the Built-in Cam, the combined range is 478 km. Use the combined distance in the row matching the car’s equipment. The adjacent efficiency figures are in km/kWh. Hyundai Korea: 2025 IONIQ 5 range by configuration

South Korea and the United States use some of the same driving schedules, but each system determines its own label values. If a listing gives both Korean and US EPA ratings, label each figure with its market and test. For the adjustments behind the US number, see how US EPA range is calculated. Korea Energy Agency: Vehicle energy-efficiency test standards

Comparing figures from different markets

Start with the original specification for the battery, drivetrain and wheels you are considering. Match the test and the type of result on both cars. Compare combined figures with combined figures and highway figures with highway figures. If a seller quotes a foreign-market rating or a manufacturer’s estimate, keep that description with the number. There is no reliable fixed percentage for converting one car’s range rating from one test to another.

For a particular journey, the more useful inputs are consumption at the speed and temperature you expect and the battery energy available between your planned charge levels. Understanding EV Range shows how to use them.