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All 15 electric vehicles in AUTOBEST’s 2026 ECOBEST Challenge continued moving after their dashboards showed zero range or 0% charge. They averaged 10 miles (16 km) before stopping, but the distance varied widely and is not a reliable estimate of how far another EV can travel.
All 15 electric vehicles in AUTOBEST’s 2026 ECOBEST Challenge kept moving after their dashboards showed zero range or 0% battery charge, averaging 10 miles (16 km) before they stopped. The test found a wide gap between models: the Leapmotor B10 went 19.9 miles (32 km) after the warning point, while the Xpeng P7+ managed 0.6 miles (1 km).
AUTOBEST’s group test measured the distance from the point when a vehicle displayed either zero remaining range or 0% charge until it could no longer move under its own power. The Leapmotor B10 recorded the longest distance, just ahead of the Tesla Model Y at 19.3 miles (31 km). The Xpeng P7+ stopped after the shortest distance, 0.6 miles (1 km).
Journalists drove production-spec vehicles in convoy on a route near Milan, Italy, combining city streets, country roads and highways. A lead vehicle set the pace, and drivers switched cars every 19 miles (30 km) to reduce the effect of individual driving styles. Each car carried only its driver, ran in standard rather than Eco mode, had climate control on and used recommended tire pressures. Temperatures ranged from 68–77°F (20–25°C); the final stretch took place at Quattroruote’s Vairano proving ground.
After vehicles stopped, a Zeekr 7GT support car used its vehicle-to-load function to supply power and get them moving again. That allowed the test team to recover the cars without a dedicated EV roadside-assistance van. AUTOBEST published the post-warning distances, but its results table did not report each car’s remaining usable energy at the warning point or the speed maintained afterward.
Why the reserve varies by model
The results show that a zero reading does not have one consistent meaning across EVs. In this test, the distance after the warning point ranged from less than a mile to nearly 20 miles. That difference could matter to a driver looking for a charger, but the figures describe specific vehicles under test conditions—not a dependable emergency allowance for everyday driving.
Drivers should treat the car’s range warning as a sign to find a charger, not as a promise that a fixed reserve remains. Speed, road conditions, temperature, vehicle load and driving behavior can affect energy use; the supplied test results do not establish how much each factor changed the distances. The findings also do not show that the car with the longest post-zero distance has the greatest total range or the most energy left at the warning point.
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What zero charge means in an EV
An EV’s displayed range and its battery charge percentage are related estimates, but they are not necessarily synchronized. The source report notes that a dashboard can show 0% while still predicting some remaining distance, or show zero range at a different point. In a separate range test cited by InsideEVs, a Tesla Model 3 displayed two miles of range when its charge reading reached 0% and then traveled another 31 miles (50 km). That example is from a different test and should not be treated as a typical result.
The vehicle also limits how far the battery can be discharged. As battery-cell voltage falls, the car can cut power before the cells are fully depleted, protecting the pack from an excessively low state. So a display at zero does not mean the battery is physically empty; it means the car has reached the end of the range or usable charge it is reporting to the driver.
The 2026 challenge’s results are best read as a comparison of post-warning distance under one test setup. The test did not quantify the energy remaining in each pack at the display point, and the very different distances do not mean one car had proportionally more reserve energy than another.
“All 15 EVs that took part in the group test kept moving after their dashboards showed empty, averaging 10 miles (16 km) before they stopped.”
— AUTOBEST ECOBEST Challenge results, as reported by InsideEVs
Limits of the distance figures
The published results do not state how much usable energy remained in each vehicle when its display reached zero, or how fast each car traveled afterward. They also combine two possible trigger points—zero range or 0% charge—so the reported distances do not necessarily begin from the same dashboard condition in every car. The source material does not provide enough detail to establish how those differences affected the ranking.
The figures cannot predict what any individual EV will do in different weather, on a different road or with a different driving style. It is also unclear from the reported data whether the test’s vehicle order or other factors affected specific results. The 10-mile average is a finding for these 15 cars in this test, not a guaranteed reserve for EVs generally.
Use warnings to find a charger
For drivers, the practical response is to plan to charge before the display reaches zero and use the vehicle’s live range estimate to choose a reachable charging stop. AUTOBEST’s results offer a comparison across the tested models, but they do not provide a safe distance to rely on after a warning. The supplied report does not identify a further test or publication date; additional details on remaining energy and driving speed would help readers interpret the differences between cars.
Key Questions
How far did the EVs travel after showing empty?
The 15 cars averaged 10 miles (16 km) after their dashboards showed zero range or 0% charge. Results ranged from 0.6 miles for the Xpeng P7+ to 19.9 miles for the Leapmotor B10.
Which EV went farthest in the test?
The Leapmotor B10 traveled 19.9 miles (32 km) after the warning point. The Tesla Model Y followed at 19.3 miles (31 km).
Does 0% mean an EV battery is completely empty?
No. The display refers to the vehicle’s estimate of usable charge or range. A car may retain energy in its pack, and its controls can stop the vehicle before the battery cells are fully discharged.
Can I count on getting another 10 miles after zero?
No. Ten miles is the average for the 15 cars in this particular test, not a guaranteed reserve. The test reported distances ranging from 0.6 to 19.9 miles and did not establish a reliable figure for other conditions or vehicles.
Source: insideevs.com
