Kia to enter van market with electric PV5
Korean brand's first commercial vehicle will be offered as a van, a people carrier and a taxi...
On sale 2025 | Price from £30,600 (est, ex.VAT)
Many of us take on new challenges at the start of a New Year, designed to make us happier and healthier or, perhaps, to broaden our horizons. Kia has taken things one step further by entering a brand new market – vans.
The Korean brand has revealed three new concepts which preview a range of future electric commercial vehicles, with the first, the PV5, due to arrive in 2026.
Like its concept siblings, the PV1 and PV7, the PV5 is based on new underpinnings which are designed to be highly adaptable and scalable, allowing Kia to cater for vans of every size.
With a sleek design which incorporates razor thin LED headlights, tough cladding around its lower edges and tall windows, the PV5 looks like something you might find in a Sci-Fi film, but it should also offer the visibility and practicality which van drivers look for.
There’s no detail yet on what might power the PV5, but it’s expected to borrow batteries and motors from Kia’s growing range of electric cars, including the Kia EV6 and Kia EV9 SUVs. Unlike those cars, however, the PV5 will be front-wheel drive only.
In the EV9, a 95kWh (usable capacity) battery provides a range of up to 349 miles. For context, the PV5-rivalling Ford E-Transit Custom van can manage 236 miles between charges.
Uniquely, the PV5 could eventually be a van, a taxi and a people carrier all in one, because its rear portion features swappable ‘life modules’ which sit behind the fixed driver cab using electro-magnetic and mechanical locks. That means the PV5 could function as a medium van during the week, and then as family transport at the weekend – most likely with the help of a dealer in between to swap its body.
At launch, however, the PV5 will be available in the van, high-roof and chassis cab forms more familiar to van drivers.
The fixed driver area of the PV5 features digital instruments, and a large infotainment screen spanning the width of the interior. The front passenger seat can be removed depending on the use case of the van.
Although prices are yet to be confirmed, Kia is said to be targeting an entry price of around £30,600 – less than you’d pay for the Renault Kangoo E-Tech small electric van today, without VAT.
Kia is working with external partners on building a self-driving taxi version of the PV5, although this isn’t due to arrive until 2028 at the earliest.
The PV7 will be the largest van in Kia’s line-up, and will take on other large electric vans including the Ford E-Transit and Maxus eDeliver 9 when it arrives in 2027. This van will come with the option of four-wheel drive.
At the other end of the range is the PV1, which is designed for transporting items in the city and could eventually arrive without space for a driver, and instead rely on self-driving technology.
All of Kia’s PV van models will feature a rail system designed to help load items between the vans, and reduce strain on human workers. The vans will also be able to power devices, meaning your van could charge your tools as you drive to your next job.
Since this is a new market for Kia, the brand will launch a new side of its business dedicated to vans, and plans to use artificial intelligence as part of the fleet management systems it will eventually offer to businesses.
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