Kia has notched a Guinness World Record for electric light commercial vehicles with an impressive performance from its PV5 Cargo van.
In a press release, Kia announced that its all-electric PV5 Cargo van was able to travel 430.84 miles on a single charge. According to Guinness World Records, the journey became the "greatest distance travelled by a light-duty battery-powered electric van with maximum payload on a single charge."
Vehicle journalist George Barrow and Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre senior engineer Christopher Nigemeier were behind the wheel for the record-setting performance. The two completed the nearly 24-hour journey in late September "under authentic, real-world conditions" while travelling on public roads north of Frankfurt, Germany.
"I'm genuinely excited to have been part of this incredible Guinness World Records achievement. It was a demanding but unforgettable journey," Barrow said. "The PV5 and Christopher were great teammates for this challenge, and I'm proud to have been part of a record that pushes the boundaries for electric vans."
The Kia PV5 Cargo is the company's first electric light commercial vehicle in production. The long-range edition of the vehicle comes equipped with a 71.2-kilowatt-hour battery, the same used in the real-world trial in Germany.
"Even if Kia is new to the LCV market, this record is a testament to the versatility and innovation behind Kia's first PBV, showing that we are serious contenders." said Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe.
Thanks to lower operating costs, zero tailpipe pollution, and steadily improving battery technology, increasing consumer demand has led to impressive electric vehicle sales in many key automotive markets across the globe, including in the U.S. This has also led to increased competition from automakers, resulting in vehicles that continue to push innovation.
"The fact that much of our target audience for this van variant could operate for almost two full working days on a single charge speaks volumes about its real-world capability. The PV5 combines efficiency, flexibility, and intelligent connectivity in one package," Hedrich added.
One of the biggest criticisms of EVs is the reliability of public charging infrastructure. In some cases, acts of vandalism to charging stations have rendered them inoperable. In other regions, the lack of substantial public charging options in rural areas has made EV ownership more challenging.
However, purchasing a home charging station can be one of the best ways to avoid any unwanted hassle. Charging your EV at home can also be significantly cheaper than using public chargers, offering hundreds in annual savings. Qmerit is helping homeowners who are interested in installing Level 2 EV chargers by providing free, instant installation estimates.
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