Kia’s electric commercial van known as the PV5 has set an international record by traveling 693.38 kilometers (430.85 miles) with its cargo bay loaded to the max.
The test run was performed on September 30, but the company had waited for a whole month for it to be formally recognized by the GWR jury. The van tested came equipped with a standard 71.2-kWh battery pack nominally rated at 416 km (258 miles) of WLTP range. It had a nominal cargo weight capacity of 665 kilograms (1,466 pounds), although Kia offers other options as well.
The automaker insists that the test was “as close to a real-life scenario as possible.” The van was driven in circles on a 58-km (36-mile) long ring of public roads near Frankfurt, Germany. It included intersections, junctions, sections with high urban traffic and altitude variations. Despite the apparent difficulty of the course, the van had managed almost 12 rounds before it ran out of power.
Coming in at 4.7 meters (~183 inches) long, the Kia PV5 has 3 meters (117.2 inches) between the axles and 4.4 cubic meters (155.38 cubic feet) of cargo space. Depending on the spec, it can transport up to 790 kg (1,741 pounds) per trip. Later on, the company promises to launch other variants with smaller, cheaper battery packs and more interior space.
