Before the PV5 even arrives on the Canadian market, Kia’s new electric van is already setting new standards, breaking Guinness record for EV range (in the category of electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs), it should be noted).
While carrying its maximum payload of 655 kg, the Kia PV5 was able to travel a distance of 693.38 km on a single charge. It was equipped with a 71-2-kWh battery and two sliding side doors.
The new EV set the new standard of nearly 700 km in Germany under real-world conditions and on public roads. This is no lab-only, ideal-conditions record, in other words.
"Even though Kia is a newcomer to the LCV (light commercial vehicle) world, this record demonstrates the versatile and innovative character of the brand's first PBV, thus proving that we are serious competitors in this market,"
- Marc Hedrich (President and CEO, Kia Europe)
Hedrich added that "Knowing that the majority of our customers will be able to carry out their business for nearly two full workdays on a single charge is very revealing of this vehicle's capabilities in real-world conditions."
Canadian range of the Kia PV5
As of now, the official range of the Kia PV5 has not been released by Natural Resources Canada.
This new van will compete with the Ford E-Transit, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, Ram ProMaster EV, as well as the Chevrolet BrightDrop, for which General Motors has announced the end of production.
Note that the Kia PV5 is built at Kia's factory in Hwaseong (Autoland Hwasung) in South Korea. Although it will be sold in Canada, the electric van will not be distributed in the U.S.
