ARAI Range Meaning - What the Number on Your EV Brochure Really Tells You

ARAI range is the official certified range you see on an electric vehicle’s brochure in India. It’s measured by the Automotive Research Association of India using a controlled lab test called the Modified Indian Drive Cycle (MIDC), run with no air-conditioning, no real traffic, and gentle speeds. It’s the legal benchmark, not your everyday number.

Key takeaways

• ARAI range is a certified lab figure, not a promise of what you’ll get on the road.
• It’s measured using the MIDC, a controlled test cycle with no AC and gentle acceleration.
• Real-world range typically runs 20 to 30 percent lower than the ARAI claim.
• The test is repeatable and standardised, so it’s useful for comparing one EV against another.
• From 2026, MoRTH is moving toward a combined city (P1) and highway (P2) disclosure that reads lower but truer.

What does ARAI range actually mean?

It means the maximum distance an EV covered in a lab, under ideal conditions, on a full charge. The car sits on a dynamometer and follows a fixed speed-and-stop pattern. Because there’s no AC drain, no headwind, and no aggressive driving, the number comes out flattering. Think of it as a controlled benchmark rather than a real trip estimate.

How is the MIDC test run?

The Modified Indian Drive Cycle repeats a set sequence of low-speed urban segments and a higher-speed extra-urban segment, all on a rolling-road rig. Conditions are tightly fixed so every manufacturer gets tested the same way. That consistency is the point. It lets you compare two EVs fairly, even if neither hits its claim on your commute.

Why is my real-world range lower than the ARAI number?

Because your road isn’t a lab. AC and heating, India’s stop-go traffic, highway speeds, passenger and cargo weight, terrain, and battery age all pull range down. Across tested EVs in India, the gap usually sits around 20 to 30 percent. Here’s a rough guide.

Use these as planning numbers, not guarantees. Your own driving style swings the result more than anything else.

What is changing with India’s new range norms?

From 2026, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is moving toward a combined disclosure that splits the figure into a city cycle (P1) and a highway cycle (P2). The headline number reads lower than the old single ARAI/MIDC claim, but it’s closer to what buyers actually experience. It’s a more honest label, even if the bigger old numbers looked nicer on a spec sheet.

How should I read an EV brochure now?

Treat the ARAI figure as a ceiling, then mentally knock off 20 to 30 percent for your real number. If you do mostly highway running, lean toward the lower end. If you mostly crawl through city traffic with light AC use, you may do a bit better. For a deeper comparison, see our real-world range vs ARAI claimed range benchmark and our running list of the best electric cars for long range in India .

Frequently asked questions

Is ARAI range accurate?

It’s accurate as a lab measurement and as a comparison tool, but it isn’t your real driving range. Expect to lose 20 to 30 percent once AC, traffic, and highway speeds come in.

What does MIDC stand for?

MIDC stands for Modified Indian Drive Cycle, the standardised lab test ARAI uses to certify an EV’s range under fixed, controlled conditions.

Why do EV makers advertise ARAI range if it’s optimistic?

Because it’s the official certified figure they’re required to test against, and it lets buyers compare models on the same yardstick. The catch is that it overstates everyday range.

Will the new 2026 norms make EVs look worse?

The new city plus highway numbers will read lower than old ARAI claims, but they’re truer. It’s a labelling change, not a drop in the car’s actual capability. You can sanity-check running costs with our EV cost per km benchmark .

Sources

• New electric vehicle range norms in India explained, CarDekho
• Real-world EV range tested of top EV cars in India, Autocar India

Last updated: 23 June 2026.