Kia’s compact EV2 SUV has outperformed all of its rivals in a major real-world range test in Norway.
The EV2 topped the table of compact and mid-sized cars in the Norwegian Automobile Federation’s El Prix summer range test, returning 105% of its official WLTP range.
The tested standard range model returned a total of 325km (202 miles) from a full charge of its 42.2kWh battery. While that overall range is comparatively short, no rival car exceeded its WLTP range by as high a proportion.
The test is run twice a year, in summer and winter, to assess the real-world performance of the latest new EVs on the European market. The summer test saw vehicles cover a mixed range of driving on dry roads, with temperatures between 12 and 18°C. Winter testing sees temperatures drop as low as -31°C.
Alongside the standard range model, Kia entered a prototype long-range EV2 in the test. While its prototype status means the results are not officially recognised, the test car returned 428km (267 miles) – 102% of the stated WLTP range.
“Achieving the best real world performance among compact and mid-size in the NAF Summer El Prix EV Test is a strong validation of EV2’s customer focused engineering,” said Pablo Martinez Masip, vice president of product at Kia Europe.
“These independent results confirm that EV2 is designed around real customer needs – delivering dependable everyday usability while giving drivers the confidence to travel further, whether on daily commutes or longer holiday journeys.”
While the EV2 led its class, the BMW iX3 was the overall winner of the test. The Neue Klasse SUV, pictured above, covered 485 miles – 7 miles further than its WLTP range of 478 miles. It outstripped the second-place Lucid Gravity by almost 40 miles, with the Lucid falling 17 miles short of its official range.
The Xpeng X9 outperformed its official figures by the greatest amount, with an 11.4% improvement over its WLTP range. However, its final distance of 401 miles was only enough to place fifth in the overall list.
