South Korean car manufacturer Kia has made its way into the record books with its new all-electric van. The PV5 Cargo set an official Guinness World Record for the longest distance travelled by a light-duty electric van on a single charge while carrying a full payload. Covering an astonishing 430.84 miles on public roads near Frankfurt, Germany, the record-setting drive solidifies Kia’s position as a serious contender in the electric light commercial vehicle (eLCV) space.
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Record setter in real-world conditions
The record attempt was run just north of Frankfurt, on a 36.2 mile loop that included towns, stop signs, elevation changes, roundabouts, traffic lights, and the regular vehicular movement that you would expect to encounter on public roads. Kia deliberately conducted this test on public roads, rather than on a closed track, to simulate the real-world conditions that the van would be used in during delivery and logistics work.
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Over the course of more than 22 hours, the PV5 completed almost 12 full laps of the assigned loop, covering 430.84 miles before finally running out of juice. It should also be noted that the van was loaded up to its maximum rated payload of 1,466 lbs, making this feat even more impressive. The range test was verified by a Guinness World Records adjudicator on scene, and the battery and cargo compartments were sealed at the start of the attempt to ensure authenticity.
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Kia nearly doubles the PV5’s claimed range
The Kia PV5 has a Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) range rating of 258 miles. WLTP ratings are usually considered extremely optimistic, however, Kia were able to exceed this by almost 200 miles. This distance was achieved thanks to the PV5’s efficient drivetrain, optimised aerodynamics, and three levels of regenerative braking, combined with economical driving practices to squeeze the most out of each kilowatt-hour. The drivers, commercial vehicle journalist George Barrow and senior Hyundai engineer Christopher Nigemeier, did their best to maintain steady speeds with gentle use of the accelerator and brake over the 22 hours that it took to cover this distance.
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Haul of fame: Kia proves it can go the distance
The PV5 is the first model in Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) line-up, built on the Korean brand’s Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service (E-GMP.S) architecture. E-GMP.S brings with it the flexibility to accommodate a variety of platforms to suit a wide range of commercial as well as personal applications. These include Cargo, Passenger, Chassis Cab, and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle layouts.
The PV5 Cargo used for this record is available in Medium Range (51.5 kWh) and Long Range (71.2 kWh) variants, offers up to 155.4 cubic feet of usable cargo space, and a payload capacity of up to 1,741 lbs. Kia also claim that the PV5 loses just 1.5 percent of range for every extra 220 lbs carried, a remarkable stat for a commercial EV. Plans for the future include adding more electric vans to Kia’s eLCV line-up, with a larger PV7 expected in 2027, and an even bigger PV9 by the end of the decade.
