Not Tesla, Tata Motors is world's most energy-efficient EV maker
What's the story
Tata Motors has emerged as the world's most energy-efficient electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation's (ICCT) 2025 global automaker rating. The Indian automaker's fleet averaged an impressive 106W-hours per kilometer (Wh/km), surpassing Tesla and BYD. Mahindra also made it to the top five with an average of 113 Wh/km, while Tesla and BYD came in third and fourth, respectively, among 22 major brands.
Ranking process
How the ranking was done
The ICCT calculated these rankings by converting each automaker's official test-cycle data into comparable Wh/km values.
The average was then taken across each company's battery EV fleet.
This method does not consider factors like acceleration or price, but focuses solely on how much electricity a vehicle needs to travel a fixed distance under standardized lab conditions.
Efficiency comparison
Examples of efficient EVs
Tata's Sierra.ev and Mahindra's BE 6 are examples of this efficiency.
The Sierra.ev offers battery options of 63kWh and 75kWh with a certified range of up to 665km, while the BE 6 comes with battery packs of 59kWh and 79kWh and an ARAI-rated range of up to 682km.
These figures indicate low Wh/km on test cycles, similar to highly efficient global drivetrains like Geely's recent electric drive unit.
Market impact
What this means for consumers
The ICCT ranking shows that smaller, lighter crossovers designed for urban traffic and low running costs can be more energy-efficient than larger vehicles.
This could mean that if automakers bring this kind of engineering to other markets like the US, consumers could benefit from smaller batteries with lower prices and weight.
Motor1's analysis suggests that these test cycles, vehicle size, and power play a crucial role in determining overall brand efficiency.