Kia’s electric van, the PV5, set a new Guinness World Record after driving over 430 miles on a single charge… with its max payload.

Kia’s electric van sets a new Guinness World Record

Who said electric vans couldn’t get the job done? Kia’s electric van just broke the Guinness World Record for the greatest distance travelled by a light-duty battery-powered electric van with maximum payload.

Powered by a 71.2 kWh battery, the Kia PV5 Cargo drove 430.84 miles (693.38 km) on a single charge. Even more impressive, it was carrying a full load. The electric van lasted nearly two days, covering 22 hours and 30 minutes of driving without charging.

Kia’s record-breaking run took place on September 30, 2025, in Frankfurt, Germany, using an unmodified PV5 Cargo L2H1 model.

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The route was specifically designed to replicate real-world scenarios. Kia said the electric van covered over 36 miles (58.2 km) in the city, navigating traffic lights, intersections, and roundabouts, with typical city traffic. It also achieved an elevation gain of about 1,200 ft (370 meters).

Kia’s electric van completed the loop 12 times while carrying its max payload, finally coming to a stop on the twelfth run.

“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,” Kia’s European boss, Marc Hedrich, said.

The fact that it ran for almost two full working days on a single charge, “speaks volumes about its real-world capabilities,” Hedrich added.

According to Kia’s internal tests, adding 220 lbs (100 kg) of payload reduces the PV5’s range by only around 1.5%.

The PV5 is a midsize electric van and Kia’s first dedicated model from its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business. It’s built on Hyundai’s E-GMP.S architecture. The flexible EV platform supports several variants.

Kia currently sells the PV5 in Passenger (for personal use) and Cargo (for businesses). Over the next few years, it plans to introduce seven body types, including Light Camper, Wheelchair Accessible, and open-bed models.

The PV5 Cargo offers up to 4.4 m3 of load space and a max payload of 1,740 lbs (790 kg). It’s available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh, with WLTP driving ranges of 184 miles and 258 miles, respectively.

Kia plans to launch additional electric vans, including the larger PV7 in 2027 and the even bigger PV9, due out around 2029.

The school bus experts at Thomas Built have just released the first all-electric, square-bodied Type D school bus in the company’s storied history – and they’ve given their new bus a friendly, pun-tastic name. Kids, meet Wattson!

Properly called the Saf-T-Liner eHDX2 Wattson, this latest transit-style Type D bus from North Carolina-based Thomas Built combines a flat front, high seating capacity, and superior driver visibility with clean, quiet, electric power from Cummins Accelera.

“Wattson represents our next step in electrification,” said TJ Reed, president and CEO of Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles. “(Wattson) reflects our belief that the best electric solutions are the ones that feel familiar, fit within your fleet and are built to last. That’s what we’ve heard from our customers, and that’s what we’re delivering.”

The bus offers 150 miles of estimated range thanks to a huge 246 kWh li-ion battery pack. That battery funnels electrons to the same, ultra-efficient 295 hp 14Xe eAxle with 750 lb-ft of peak tq as the recently-revealed Jouley, offering more than enough “get up and go” to get kids safely across multilane highways and up even the gnarliest rural mountain inclines. And, of course, without the freezing concerns that can stop a diesel fleet cold during extreme temperature drops.

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And, because Wattson is based heavily on Thomas Built’s existing Type D body, schools’ preferred upfitting solutions should bolt right in. “We know electrification can feel like a big step,” continued Reed. “With Wattson, we’re making that step easier by giving districts a familiar Type D solution they already trust – now in electric.”

Wattson is available for order now, with first deliveries scheduled for early 2026. The bus is capable of 120 kW DC fast charging, and is V2G capable.

Electrek’s Take

It’s almost universally accepted that school buses are prime candidates for electrification. They tend to operate on short, local routes, in stop-and-go traffic, and in close proximity with some of the most vulnerable populations in the country, in terms of respiratory illness and physical safety (just imagine a kid trying to yell “STOP!” at a bus driver and being heard over the din of noisy kids and a revving diesel). The fact that electric school buses can reduce a district’s operating costs and serve the public as a portable power center in an emergency are just icing on the electric cake.

Here’s hoping all our kids’ schools have a chance to trade in their gross diesel school bus for something like Thomas Built’s Wattson sooner than later.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Thomas Built.

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Electric vehicles are known for plugging in – but one startup wants them to simply soak up the sun instead. Bako Motors is building compact electric cars and cargo vans with solar panels on the roof, letting them charge directly from sunlight and cut their dependence on wall sockets altogether.

It’s not an entirely novel idea. But unlike flashy startups like Aptera, Bako is approaching it with an actually commercially viable solution. And now the company is joining several other African-based EV makers hoping to help the continent leapfrog its way towards more sustainable transportation.

While most EVs still rely on grid charging – often from a fossil-fuel-heavy mix in Africa – Bako’s small vehicles can harvest free energy straight from the sky. According to founder and CEO Boubaker Siala, the roof-mounted solar cells can provide more than half of a vehicle’s daily energy needs. For its commercial model, the B-Van, that translates to about 50 km (31 mi) of solar-assisted driving per day, or roughly 17,000 km (10,500 mi) per year without ever plugging in.

Of course, drivers do still have the option of plugging into an EV charger to top up the battery more quickly, but soaking up extra sun all day may mean that many owners can get away with infrequent grid-charging stops.

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The B-Van can haul up to 400 kg (882 lb) of cargo and offers 100–300 km (62–186 mi) of total range, starting at around US $8,500. Its smaller sibling, the Bee, is a two-seat urban runabout with 70–120 km (44–75 mi) of range and a 44 km/h (27 mph) top speed, priced from US $6,200. A third model, the X-Van, is now on the drawing board with space for two passengers and extra cargo.

More than 40% of Bako’s parts are sourced locally – including the steel for the frame and lithium-iron-phosphate batteries – creating jobs while reducing import costs. A second, larger factory is set to open in 2026, boosting capacity to 8,000 vehicles per year for Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

By combining affordability, local manufacturing, and solar charging, Bako Motors is carving out a niche that fits Africa’s climate and infrastructure realities. In a market where range anxiety and unreliable grids still hold many buyers back, these sun-sipping EVs might just be the independence-promoting solution that drivers need.