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By David Lewis | 28 October 2025
Kia’s new PV5 Cargo has officially entered the Guinness World Records after travelling 430.84 miles on a single charge — the longest distance ever achieved by an electric light commercial vehicle.
The record was achieved on 30 September 2025 north of Frankfurt, Germany. The PV5 Cargo L2H1 71.2kWh model travelled 430.84 miles (693.38km) while carrying its maximum payload, setting a new benchmark for efficiency in the electric van market.
The vehicle completed twelve loops of a 58.2km route that included city traffic, roundabouts, and elevation changes of 370 metres. These conditions were chosen to reflect everyday delivery and logistics routes.
Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe, said: “Even if Kia is new to the LCV market, this record is a testament to the versatility and innovation behind our first PBV. The fact that many operators could work for almost two full days on a single charge speaks volumes about its real-world capability.”
The attempt was verified by TÜV Hessen and buck Vermessung, who supervised the loading process and ensured full compliance with Guinness World Records rules. The vehicle’s battery was sealed and GPS-tracked throughout the 22-hour journey.
Engineers say the PV5’s range drops by only 1.5% for every additional 100kg of load, underlining its practicality for delivery fleets and business users.
The record-breaking drive was completed by journalist George Barrow and engineer Christopher Nigemeier of Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre. Barrow said: “I was genuinely impressed by how far the Kia PV5 can go — more than 430 miles with a full payload. That’s no small feat, and I doubt this record will be easy to beat.”
Nigemeier added: “It became a friendly challenge to see who could squeeze the most from each kilowatt-hour, but in the end, it was the vehicle itself that impressed us both.”
Read George Barrow's article on the record-breaking PV5 on vanreviewer.co.uk
The PV5 is the first model in Kia’s new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) family, built on the E-GMP.S architecture with a modular design. The line-up will include Cargo, Passenger, Chassis Cab, Crew Van, Wheelchair Accessible and Camper variants.
The Cargo model offers up to 4.4 cubic metres of load space and a payload capacity of up to 790kg. Customers can choose from two battery options – 51.5kWh or 71.2kWh – depending on their operational needs.
Kia says the record underscores its commitment to sustainable mobility. The record-breaking PV5 Cargo will be on display at the Solutrans Tradeshow in Lyon from 18 November 2025, Hall 5, Booth C130.
