• Fifth Gear pits four of Europe’s best long-range sedans against one another in a sales rep showdown.
• The contenders go through several knockout challenges to see which one is the best.
• The final round sees the BMW i4 face off against the Tesla Model 3.

Sales representatives need to cover many miles every day, which is why you don’t often see them driving electric vehicles. But if they were to choose an EV, their best bet would be a long-range electric sedan, and Fifth Gear lined up four of the best three-box EVs available in Europe to see which is the best for long-distance driving. With the very stringent Euro 7 emissions regulations looming, the long-range electric sedan is becoming a hot commodity in Europe.

The contenders are the Tesla Model 3 and some of is perennial rivals: the Hyundai Ioniq 6, BMW i4 and Volkswagen ID.7. They were subjected to several tests to rate their worthiness as rep mobiles and, by extension, solid long-distance companions for any driver looking to go electric. The ideal car for this role doesn’t just need to be able to drive for extended periods without needing to stop, but it should also have a nice interior that doesn’t become tiresome to look at and sit in for hours on end.

The trunk capacity also matters since, in the case of an actual sales rep, it would need to be able to accommodate their product samples, paperwork and extra clothes that they may need. It should also be able to swallow up a family-sized assortment of travel bags if you go on an extended road trip.

This sales rep test is relevant for anyone looking to buy one of these cars, because if it’s good enough for someone who spends their entire day on the road, it’s good enough for your not-as-intense daily needs, such as commuting to work and occasionally going on a longer trip.

The two hosts, Jason Plato and Rory Reid, begin the video from the premise that the Tesla Model 3 is the one to beat. We’ve sampled all of these cars in several trims, and we agree that the Model 3 is a great all-rounder that delivers in the areas that matter for a reasonable price. However, while it has the second-longest range in this lineup and is an excellent value for money proposition, it doesn’t have the most luxurious feeling or roomiest interior and it’s also developed a bit of an image problem that may put some people off.

The BMW is the most expensive and has the least range, but its interior feels the nicest of the three and is the most traditional of the four. The VW has the most spacious interior with the most rear legroom, but it’s a bit dull to drive and look at. Hyundai certainly made the Ioniq 6 look unique, go far on one charge and be enjoyable to drive, but the two hosts say it has the worst-feeling interior of the bunch and its navigation system was the only one of the four that didn’t find a set location they chose for this test.

By the end, the test became a two-horse race between the i4 and the Model 3, after the Ioniq 6 was eliminated for its interior and infotainment and the ID.7 was just nudged out in the ride quality test.

The winner depends on who you ask: the Tesla is still the standard-bearer, but the BMW proves the rest of the auto industry has caught up.