Kia EV6 to take on a 5,800-km drive from Norway to Portugal in just five days

MANILA: Expedition specialist Max Adventure will travel from Oslo, Norway to Lisbon, Portugal in a fully electric Kia EV6 in just five days. The “Driven to Extremes Euro EV Marathon” will cover nearly 5,800 kilometers, visiting 15 countries in just 120 hours.

Supported by Kia UK, the team will begin the drive on September 5 and targets to arrive in Lisbon on September 9, the World EV Day.

The Driven to Extremes Euro EV Marathon is claimed to be the first time the route has been attempted in a fully electric vehicle.

The team has recently used the Kia EV6 for the first “Fen to Fell” drive in a 336-kilometer route from Britain’s lowest to highest roads. The drive was completed on single charge with an indicated remaining range of 172 kilometers.

The Kia EV6 is designed with a long wheelbase and spacious cabin, ensuring comfort on the 120-hour drive. It has a WLTP range of 537 kilometers on a single charge and its 800V ultra-rapid charging technology will minimize pit stops. The battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes when using a 350kW charger, and in one hour and 13 minutes when using a 50kW charger.

The team will also be using “Kia Charge,” giving them instant access to more than 300,000 connectors across 29 European countries.

“We want to show how it’s possible to cover a huge distance in a short time using an EV, and that the vehicles as well as the charging infrastructure are already available. The Kia EV6 was the obvious choice for this amazing challenge as we’ve been seriously impressed with the car during trials, and we know how capable and comfortable it is on a long journey,” Driven to Extremes Euro EV Marathon Project Leader Mac Mackenney stated.

The team of three drivers will travel from their starting point in Kia's Norwegian headquarters, with a GPS system tracking their progress at all times. The Kia EV6 will be driven by the trio in turns. The only planned stops will be for driver swaps and vehicle charging. The EV6 will be accompanied by a support vehicle, also provided by Kia, that will be used to document the journey.

The Driven to Extremes Euro EV Marathon is inspired by Stirling Moss' expedition in 1952. The renowned racing driver and three of his “fast friends” traveled to 15 different countries across Europe in less than five days as a publicity stunt to support the then-new Humber Super Snipe.

Photos from Driven to Extremes

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