Kia puts its EV4 batteries to the test

The battery is the most important component of an electric car. It accounts for the majority of its price—they are still more expensive than their combustion counterparts, although prices are gradually being adjusted—and it's what most concerns buyers, especially when considering replacing it.

Manufacturers are aware of this, and in fact, it's the component they provide with the longest warranty, sometimes even longer than the one they offer for the car itself. Typically, a battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.

Kia, one of the car manufacturers making a strong commitment to electric mobility, is going a step further and is subjecting the fourth generation of its batteries, which equip the current models in its EV range, to exhaustive endurance tests in an attempt to allay its customers' concerns.

In the latest, the Korean manufacturer drove its next model, the compact EV4, 10,000 kilometers around the Nürburgring at 95% power constantly, giving it a high-voltage burst—the group recently installed a 150 kW charger on the track—every time it ran out of batteries. In total, the car completed 480 laps of the green hell.

This test, known internally as the "torture test," is a way of mechanically testing models. Engineers typically use it to determine what needs to be improved, but in this case, they were surprised by the components' durability.

“To offer our customers a reliable electric vehicle for everyday use, we needed to validate the EV4’s durability in both real-life conditions and extreme environments,” said Stephan Hoferer, Director of Durability Development at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center. “After rigorous testing, from icy roads to racetracks, we are confident that the EV4 will deliver a reliable performance that will far exceed everyday needs.”

This is the first time that dynamic details of the EV4 have been revealed. Models will arrive at European dealerships in the last quarter of 2025, and customers will be able to choose between sedan and compact body styles.