Article content The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada ’s 12th edition of the EcoRun is in the rearview mirror, the numbers are in, and we’ve got the vehicles that set exceptional efficiency marks in all-electric, plug-in-hybrid and hybrid segments. Just for good measure, we’ll also throw in a couple of impressive light duty truck results. As I always point out when reporting on AJAC’s annual real-world test of new electric vehicles, the most important number is not range, battery size or charging time.
It is the efficiency score . That efficiency number, which is measured as L/100km — or how many litres are required to travel 100 kilometres, the lower the number the better in terms of efficiency — is familiar to most vehicle owners. EV charging – Everything you need to know However, the efficiency number for an all-electric vehicle — measured at kWh/100km, or how much battery energy is required to travel 100 kilometres — still is a mystery for many.
In addition to driving a number of 2024 EVs, the assembled journalists who logged hundreds of kilometres over two days in Quebec’s magical Eastern Townships also drove select 2024 plug-in hybrids and hybrids to see which ones used the least amount of gas. And a nod of appreciation to all the automakers who supplied vehicles and support to the event, along with the sponsors, including title sponsor Electric Mobility Canada, FLO, Electric Circuit and Ingenext. Learn more about the cars Before we dive into the top five from the 2024 AJAC EcoRun, which featured 14 vehicles, a couple of caveats.
First, there is a competition aspect to EcoRun. The journalist with the lowest combined efficiency number from the 10 vehicles they drove is awarded the coveted green jersey (congrats to Automotive Innovation Magazine l’Automobile’s Isabelle Havasy), so while not exactly hyper-miling, the driving style is on the conservative side. Meaning the efficiency numbers cited here might not represent your driving tendencies.
And second, in the case of the gas-powered vehicles, while it might seem that lumping in plug-in hybrid with garden-variety hybrids gives the former an advantage, the only leg that the PHEVs enjoyed a benefit of fully charged battery was the first each day, as they were not charged during the day’s drive. Finally, the cost per 100 kilometres was derived using the rounded off average of 10 cents for a single kWh and $1.60 for a litre of gasoline.
This number, which is in brackets following the vehicle efficiency rating, is what it would cost to travel 100 kilometres in the respective vehicle. Most efficient all-electric vehicle: Lucid Air Pure: 7.1 kWh/100 km ($0.
71) This rear-wheel drive sport luxury sedan was not only the belle of the EcoRun ball for its exceptional interior and exterior styling but posted an incredible efficiency rating of 7.1 kWh/100 km. That goes a long way in explaining the EPA full range rating of a stunning 676 kilometres.
Other stats include 430 horsepower and a zero to 100 km/h sprint in 4.7 seconds, The 2025 Lucid Air Pure starts at $96,800. For our review of the Lucid Air Pure go here .
Honourable mentions: Hyundai Kona EV 12.5 ($1.25), Hyundai Ioniq 6 12.
7 ($1.27); Genesis G80 Electrified 14.6 ($1.
46); Nissan Ariya 16.2 ($1.62), Genesis GV70 16.
4 ($1.64) and Genesis GV60 16.9 ($1.
69) Most efficient plug-in-hybrid vehicle: Lexus RX 450h: 5.2 L/100 km ($8.32) Plug-in hybrids have emerged as the darlings of our march towards full zero-emission, as they represent the best of both worlds, particularly now that newer models are stretching their all-electric ranges to the 60-80 km marks.
The idea here is that a PHEV acts like an EV during city and commuter driving, with an overnight charging filling up the battery pack, yet can be used on a long road trip as a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. The Lexus RX 450h fits that bill but throws in a level of luxury and performance that begs for a big road trip. Horsepower output from the 2.
5-litre four-cylinder is 304. The 2025 Lexus RX 450h starts at $90,282. Read more about the 2024 Lexus RX 450h here .
Honourable mention: Mazda CX-70 , 7.7 L/100km ($12.32) Most efficient HEV: Lexus UX 300h: 4.
7 L/100 km ($7.52) You’d be hard-pressed to find an automaker that doesn’t count a hybrid vehicle in its 2024 stable, with some already reaching their goal of full electrification across their product line and others pledging to do so in the coming years. (For clarification, ‘full electrification’ refers to a mix of EVs, PEVs and hybrids).
Toyota is the pioneer of hybrid technology, so little surprise their luxury arm, Lexus, knocks it out of the park in terms of efficiency. That’s certainly proved the case with the UX 300h during EcoRun, with a L/100km rating that is in line with Toyota’s iconic Prius models. Power comes from a 2.
0-litre four-cylinder with a power output of 196. The 2025 Lexus UX 300h starts at $46,937. Check out our review of the 2025 Lexus UX 300h here .
Honourable mentions: Toyota Crown Signia , 5.0 L/100km ($8); Toyota Camry Hybrid , 5.0 ($8) Impressive Pickup Truck: Toyota Tacoma Hybrid Trailhunter: 10.
1 L/100 km ($10.10) It would have been nice to have more than one pickup truck in this year’s AJAC EcoRun, but the sole participant was a popular one with the journalists. The Trailhunter edition of the Toyota Tacoma Hybrid not only talks the off-road talk, but it also walks the off-road walk.
Testimony to Toyota’s hybrid prowess, the i-Force Max 2.4-litre hybrid powertrain pumps out 326 horsepower and a massive 465 lbs.-ft of torque.
It’s also tricked out with a bunch of off-road goodies, including 33-inch Goodyear RT tires, Old Man Emu 2.5-inch forged monotube position-sensitive shocks, rock rails, skid plates, a high-clearance front bumper, steel rear bumper with recovery hooks and performance-oriented front seats. The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter starts at $86,002.
Check out this review of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid here . Impressive three-row hybrid: Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid: 5.9 L/100 km ($9.
44) The headline in the redesigned Santa Fe is its all-new boxy shape, but as we discovered testing out this impressive three-row SUV during AJAC’s EcoRun, it’s the fuel economy of the hybrid version that is the real story. It’s billed as an adventure vehicle for families, and top of mind for most families when it comes to their vehicle is cost, from buying to operating. The Santa Fe Hybrid ticks both those boxes, with a starting price of $43,724 and as demonstrated during EcoRun, very good efficiency for a three-row vehicle.
Power comes from a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder with a maximum output of 232. Read our road test of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe here .
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