The commercial vehicle manufacturer Kia has set a long-distance record with the new compact electric transporter PV5, covering 693.38 kilometers on a single charge. The Kia PV5 Cargo, the first eLCV in its PBV family, has been added to the Guinness World Records list. Officially the title read: “The greatest distance covered by a battery-powered light electric transporter with maximum payload on a single charge.” For the test the PV5 Cargo was equipped with a long-range battery (71.2 kWh) and four doors, which in the configuration used here allows a maximum payload of 665 kg. The record drive took place on 30 September 2025 under everyday conditions on public roads north of Frankfurt am Main.
“Kia may be new to the LCV market. Yet this record is evidence of the versatility and innovations behind the first Kia PBV, and shows that we are credible challengers,” said Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe.
A large portion of the target audience for this van variant could operate the vehicle on a single charge for almost two full working days, Hedrich continues. The record distance was designed to reflect the day-to-day operations of delivery and logistics. The 58.2-kilometer-long loop on urban and rural roads with traffic signals, intersections, roundabouts, and typical city traffic challenged the PV5 Cargo with conditions that most logistics drivers experience. In addition, the route featured a total elevation change of around 370 meters, according to the figures. The fully loaded van completed the loop eleven times and only stopped on the twelfth lap.
Full payload, GPS tracking
At the helm of the PV5 for the record run were George Barrow, a commercial-vehicle journalist who specializes in vans and has represented the United Kingdom on the jury of the International Van of the Year award (IVOTY) since 2016, and Christopher Nigemeier, senior engineer at the European
research and development center of the Hyundai Motor Group, based in Rüsselsheim to which Kia belongs, and a member of the PV5 development team.
“Over 690 kilometers on a single charge with full payload—that's no small feat. And I have a feeling that this record won't be easy to beat. I'm proud to be part of a record that pushes the boundaries for electric transporters,” Barrow said afterwards.
The record attempt was meticulously prepared. Inspectors from TÜV Hessen and Buck Vermessung monitored the loading process and checked compliance with the weight specifications. The drive was continuously recorded using GPS tracking and interior cameras. The PV5's battery was charged to 100 percent before departure, and both the charging connector and the cargo space were sealed until the end of the 22 hours and 30 minutes long drive.
“For me as an engineer, it was both a technical and personal challenge to extract the maximum from
every kilowatt-hour,” explained Christopher Nigemeier. “In the end, it was the vehicle itself that impressed us both.”
First member of the PBV family
The PV5, as the first model of Kia's PBV family, is based on the E-GMP.S platform (Electric Global Modular Platform for Service) and is designed according to a modular concept. This flexibility enables various configurations for a wide range of commercial and private applications: in addition to the PV5 Cargo transporter and the PV5 Passenger minibus, among others a chassis cab and a wheelchair-accessible WAV variant (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle).
The PV5 Cargo offers a cargo volume of up to 4.4 cubic meters and allows a payload of up to 790 kilograms. Currently, for the transporter 51.5- and 71.2-kWh batteries are available; a 43.3-kWh battery is to follow.
The record-spec PV5 Cargo will be on display from November 18, 2025 at the commercial vehicle show Solutrans in Lyon (Eurexpo, Hall 5, Stand
