The Kia EV2 has defied freezing temperatures to deliver impressive range at the world’s largest EV winter drive event.

The EV2 prototype couldn’t be ‘officially’ accredited, but was the top performer, ahead of official participants

Put through the ultimate sub-zero tests ahead of its launch this summer, Kia’s baby EV demonstrated reliable real-world performance by covering 310.6km (192 miles) at the coldest-ever edition of the Norwegian Automotive Federation’s (NAF) El Prix Winter Test Drive.

One of the world’s most demanding EV tests, the annual El Prix Winter Test Drive pushes EVs to their absolute limits to reveals how far electric cars can actually travel on a single charge compared to their official WLTP range.

It’s seen as a hardcore validation of strong real-world EV usability in demanding winter climates typical of Northern Europe. And this year’s winter edition was the coldest yet, with temperatures dropping to -31°C.

The class of 2026 included an EV2 GT-line prototype, equipped with a 61.0kWh long-range battery and 19-inch wheels and driven for more than five hours, respecting speed limits, in extremely cold conditions before coming to a full stop in Norway’s mountainous Jotunheimen region, where temperatures currently drop to -21°C.

Official WLTP for Kia’s electric crossover is yet to be finalised, but the target figure for the EV2 with the long-range battery is 448km (278 miles) and 413km (256 miles) for the EV2 GT-line with 19-inch wheels.

Its deviation of -24.81% places the prototype in first, ahead of the official participants.

Because it is a prototype, the EV2’s results are not included in the NAF’s final report. But the model still completed the route alongside the official programme and in the same conditions as series-production EVs.

By way of comparison, the Lucid Air that won the test achieved the longest range of all (520km/323 miles), the figure is a 45.83% deviation from its claimed range (960km / 596 miles).

Pablo Martinez Masip, vice president product and marketing of Kia Europe, said the result serves as proof that the EV2 will continue to deliver reliable range even in extremely low temperatures.

“Being the entry point to Kia’s EV line‑up does not mean compromising; the EV2 offers customers throughout Europe an affordable yet reliable way to enter electric mobility.”

Debuted at last month’s Brussels Motor Show, the EV2 is built on Kia’s 400V E-GMP architecture with 11kW AC, 22kW AC and rapid DC fast charging capabilities. With the latter, the prototype charged from 10 to 80% in 36 minutes, only six minutes longer than official figures, despite the harsh sub-zero conditions; again seen as proof of the EV2’s reliable everyday usability.

The EV2’s formal WLTP figures – determined under the standardised WLTP laboratory test cycle and conditions, which includes a reference test temperature of approximately 23°C by an independent accredited technical service – are expected to be released in Q3 2026.

The EV2 is the second fully electric model to be produced at Kia’s Žilina facility in Slovakia, following the EV4, and has already started production this month for the standard-range model, followed by long-range and GT-line variants from June 2026.

The EV4 was also through its paces at this year’s El Prix Winter Test Drive. The long‑range model, equipped with an 81.4kWh battery and 19‑inch wheels, achieved a distance of 390km (242 miles) under the brutal winter conditions. That compares with a WLTP homologated range of 594km (369 miles) for this specific version and means the EV4 achieved over 65% of its rated figure, ranking among the top performers overall.