Often yes. Without engines or fuel tanks, EVs can offer:

EV vs Combustion Car Sizes: Are Electric Cars Really Bigger? We Compared the Data

Q: Are electric cars bigger than petrol cars?

Not inherently. If an EV uses closely related body architecture to its petrol equivalent, like the Kona, its footprint can stay almost the same. Larger differences usually appear when manufacturers redesign an EV around a different platform.

Q: Why are some EVs wider or longer?

Because platforms like GM Ultium or Tesla’s in-house EV architectures give designers more freedom. They’re not constrained by engines or exhaust systems, so they often stretch the cabin or wheelbase.

Q: Do EVs always weigh more?

Yes. Batteries are heavy, so even when the body is identical, the EV is usually 200–600 kg (440–1,300 lb) heavier than the combustion version.

Q: Is an EV harder to park?

Only if it’s physically wider or longer. Some EVs, like the Equinox EV, are much bigger. Others, like the Kona Electric, remain within about a centimetre of their petrol counterparts.

Q: Do EV platforms always make cars bigger?

No — they allow it, but don’t require it. Some EV-only cars are compact; others grow because the manufacturer wants more interior space or SUV stance.

Q: Do EVs need more room because of batteries?

Not in the exterior footprint. Batteries are usually in the floor. The increase in size comes from design choice, not necessity.

Are electric cars actually bigger than petrol cars? We compare EV vs Combustion pairs (Kona & Equinox) to explain size, weight and packaging in clear, real-world terms.

29 Nov 2025 • Written by Laurence

Are electric cars actually bigger than petrol cars, or do they just look bigger?You’ve probably noticed it already: EVs often seem wider, heavier, and longer… but sometimes they’re exactly the same size.

Here’s the truth: EVs aren’t automatically bigger.

But the way EVs are engineered, where the battery goes, whether they share a platform with a combustion model, and how designers package the cabin, can dramatically change their proportions.

To prove both points, we’re using two comparison pairs:

1. When EVs Are Almost the Same Size: Hyundai Kona vs Kona Electric

Hyundai Kona vs Kona Electric side overlaid size comparison

These two cars share the same platform and have a near-identical footprint, although the measurements are not exactly the same. You can see the small differences using our overlay tool:

Length: Kona 435 cm (171.3 in); Kona Electric 435.6 cm (171.5 in)
Body width: Kona 182.5 cm (71.9 in); Kona Electric 182.6 cm (71.9 in)
Height: Kona 158.5 cm (62.4 in); Kona Electric 157.5 cm (62.0 in)
Wheelbase: Kona 266 cm (104.7 in); Kona Electric 265.9 cm (104.7 in)
Boot space: both 466 L VDA (16.5 cu ft) with the seats up
Ground clearance: Kona 17 cm (6.7 in); Kona Electric 15 cm (5.9 in)
Frunk: Kona Electric 27 L (1.0 cu ft)

The largest difference is weight:

Kona Combustion → 1,295 kg (2,855 lb) vs Kona Electric → 1,620 kg (3,571 lb)

That’s a +325 kg (+717 lb) increase, while the exterior footprint changes by less than a centimetre in length and width.

What this shows

EVs aren’t automatically bigger than their petrol equivalents. When the EV shares its body architecture with the petrol model, its footprint can remain almost unchanged even though weight and a few individual measurements differ.

2. When EVs Are Bigger: Chevrolet Equinox vs Equinox EV

Chevrolet Equinox vs Equinox EV overlaid size comparison

This pair is the opposite to the Kona’s. The Equinox EV doesn’t share a platform, shape or proportions with the latest petrol Equinox, despite the shared name. See for yourself.

Here’s what changes (spoiler… it’s everything):

Length:

Combustion: 465.1 cm (183.1 in) vs EV: 484 cm (190.6 in)
→ EV is 18.9 cm (7.4 in) longer

Wheelbase:

Combustion: 272.5 cm (107.3 in) vs EV: 295.4 cm (116.3 in)
→ EV gains 22.9 cm (9 in) between the axles.

Boot volume (seats up - SAE/EPA):

Combustion: 846 L (29.9 cu ft) vs EV: 748 L (26.4 cu ft)
→ EV has less usable boot space.

Why this is

The Equinox EV isn’t based on the petrol Equinox at all. It uses GM’s dedicated Ultium EV platform, which lets designers stretch the wheelbase and reshape the cabin for battery placement and electric motors.

In other words, the EV grew because Chevy chose to design a new vehicle around the EV hardware, not because an electric car must be bigger.

So… Are EVs Really Bigger? Here’s the real answers.

EVs aren’t always larger

The Hyundai Kona Electric proves it: its length and width are less than one centimetre greater than the petrol version, while it is one centimetre lower.

EVs often get bigger when built on EV-only platforms

The Equinox EV is the best example: Manufacturers can stretch wheelbases and extend bodies to take advantage of dedicated EV architecture.

EVs are always heavier

Every EV version is heavier than its combustion equivalent, this is due to the additional weight of the EV battery.

Boot space doesn’t always benefit, here’s three different variations

Hyundai Kona and Kona EV → same VDA boot space, while the EV also gains a 27-litre frunk

Ford F-150 and F-150 Lightning → the Lightning gains a frunk

Equinox and Equinox EV → The EV loses boot space

Final Verdict

EVs can be bigger, but not because they’re electric... because manufacturers design them differently.

Electric cars only become substantially larger when a manufacturer chooses to redesign the EV on a different platform. When the EV and combustion version share closely related body architecture — like the Hyundai Kona and Kona Electric — their footprints can remain near-identical even though individual measurements and weight differ.

But when the EV sits on a dedicated platform — like the Equinox EV — it can be longer, roomier and shaped very differently from the petrol model.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Are electric cars bigger than petrol cars?

Why are some EVs wider or longer?

Do EVs always weigh more?

Are EV boots bigger?

Is an EV harder to park?

Do EV platforms always make cars bigger?

Do EVs need more room because of batteries?

Cars mentioned in this article

About the author

Automotive Dimensions Editor and Lead Writer

Laurence is the automotive dimensions editor and lead writer at DriveSize, which he has run with Ben since its launch in 2025. He covers vehicle dimensions, model comparisons, EVs and the practical differences between model years, body styles and powertrains. His writing focuses on explaining how measurements such as length, width, height, wheelbase and ground clearance work together. Laurence aims to help our readers understand what the figures show, how apparently similar cars can differ and which differences are likely to matter in everyday use.

View Laurence's full profile and recent articles

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