In the 21st century, adding an “e” to the names of electric vehicles has become a commonplace way to let folks know they are different from their traditional predecessors. Random transportation examples range from the increasingly popular e-bikes to electrified muscle cars like the Ford Mustang Mach-e. Yet MPG-e actually puts a slightly different spin on the situation. While that is indeed one way to track the efficiency of EVs, the letters here technically refer to “miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent.” Here’s how it works.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined one gallon of gas contains the same energy as 33.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity. So if a given gas-only car gets 30 mpg, that vehicle uses up 33.7 kWh of energy to travel 30 miles. With this as a baseline, you can also look at how many kWh of energy a given EV requires to go a set distance, then calculate backwards to convert your answer into gallons of gasoline. To be exact, then, the equation is MPG-e = miles/kWh x 33.7. For instance, let’s take a peek at the 2026 Nissan Leaf — a car that’s light-years better than the previous-gen model. With its 75-kWh battery pack, the Leaf achieves 28 kWh/100 miles in the EPA’s preferred metric. This reduces to 3.57 miles for every kWh. Finally, you multiply that result by 33.7 from above, and the bottom line comes out to 120.3 MPG-e combined for our Leaf.
Which new EVs have the highest MPGe ratings?
We reported on the most efficient EV in the country at the end of 2025, and it was the Lucid Air Pure leading the way with a top combined mark of 146 MPG-e — which is unchanged for 2026. Lucid also sets the pace for three-row SUVs with the Gravity. This impressive machine can score 111 MPG-e combined. Yes, some Tesla Model Y trims can top 130 MPG-e, but the optional third row is barely worthy of the name. Meanwhile, the larger Model X is capped at 105 MPG-e combined. And if you are looking for an alternative all-electric sedan, you might consider the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Plus that’s good for 126 MPG-e. A top choice among compact electric SUVs is the 2026 Toyota BZ. Significantly revamped compared to the 2025 bZ4X it replaced, the BZ can achieve 131 MPG-e combined — an increase of 12 MPG-e versus last year’s entry. For some further context, other mainstream choices like the Mach-E or Kia EV6 are limited to 110 and 115 MPG-e, respectively.
As for all-electric pickups, well, they’ve lost some of their momentum since Ford has discontinued the F-150 Lightning, and Ram never got around to producing its EV pickup before killing the project. That gives the efficiency title to the Rivian R1T at 87 MPG-e combined. By contrast, the Tesla Cybertruck has an MPG-e high point of 79. The GMC Hummer then lives down to the reputation of its fuel-sucking gas-only monsters from the 1990s, realizing a meager 53 MPG-e combined — nearly 64% lower than for the Lucid Air Pure.
