Kia’s latest electric vehicle is put to the test in new Drive TV series
In a 15,000km round trip, Trent Nikolic and Dom Wiseman are testing whether electric vehicles can really travel the distance as they drive a lap of Australia.
Spanning 33 days, the journey will start and finish in Sydney, visiting over 150 regional towns and cities along the way in the longest continuous highway loop encircling the continent.
Dean Norbiato, marketing director at Kia Australia said: “The proposal to partner with Drive on The Lap gave us the opportunity to test the mettle of our brand halo and current Drive Car of the Year, the EV9. It also allowed us to educate the public that while there’s some work to be done, it’s possible to drive even the longest lap (around Australia) in an EV.”
The popularity of electric vehicles continues to rise, with sales (excluding hybrid & PHEV models) accounting for 7.9% of the market year to date, up from 6.8% over the same period last year. Data also showed that in March the Tesla Model Y outsold Australia’s top-selling new vehicle for seven of the past eight years – the Toyota HiLux.
Drive TV executive producer, Terry King said about the special: “We are focused on expanding and creating more lifestyle content for all Australians, broadening our horizons beyond the traditional short road trip format to push cars to their full potential. We know EVs are of interest to Australians, so we want to make them more accessible through our specials.”
“This series highlights that with careful preparation and the right equipment, electric vehicle long-distance travel is not only possible but can integrate into the adventurous spirit of road-tripping.”
Episode one of Drive TV’s The Lap will air at 3:30pm this Saturday, May 11 on Nine. It will mark the milestone 100th Drive TV show aired on the Nine network, since launching in early 2022.
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