Tesla seemed to be ahead of the game for a long time on the efficiency

Yes, the Model 3 is pretty much the most efficient vehicle you can buy (next to a Lucid)

I initially held the view that range was irrelevant if it's a massive battery

The efficiency is actually WHY it's so inexpensive (less money spent on batteries, which comprise a huge portion of their cost) and WHY it drives me absolutely bonkers that the only EVs anyone wants to make anymore are fucking Tonka trucks.

They're also ahead of just about everyone in terms of their charging network.