27-02-2025
Kia reveals a new lineup of electric vans
Look for Kia to expand its range of battery electric vans with the launch of the PV5, the opening salvo in a new business strategy as the South Korean automaker aims to increase its production by one million units – all of them EVs.
'We at Kia are unwavering in our belief in electrification,' said Ho-Sung Song, CEO of Kia Motors at 2025 Kia EV Day, a news conference held in Tarragona, Spain near Barcelona earlier this week.
To that end, Kia unveiled a new electric vehicle this week aimed at the light commercial vehicle PV5 is the first in a series of light-duty commercial vans and trucks built on the new modular Electric Global Modular Platform for Service, or E-GMP.S. Derived from Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP EV architecture, the skateboard platform standardizes batteries, motors, modular body panels, and other components and incorporates them into an architecture that simplifies development and decreases expenditures.
Kia's standard model variants will include Passenger, Cargo, Chassis-Cab, and WAV (Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle) bodies. The architecture's flexibility will allow Kia to go even further, building Crew, Drop-Side, Box Van, Freezer Box, and Light Camper models. The vehicles will be built at a dedicated plant in South Korea designed to handle small runs of special vehicles through flexible production, although what that might entail wasn't explained further.
Kia will begin building the 184.6-inch-long PV5 for European and Asian markets, including Japan, a first for the Korean automaker. Whether it will come to America remains to be seen.
Light trucks imported into the United States are subject to a 25% tariff enacted by Congress in 1964. There's also existing competition from Detroit automakers and their conservative, brand-loyal customers.
This means that selling most PV5s in America is a no-go. The company could still import the forthcoming Light Camper or the WAV models as PV5s with value-added features and a market price that could help Kia cover the cost of the tariffs without losing money.
Kia CEO Song admitted as much later during an interview. 'This is what we are studying,' Song said. 'But it's not fixed yet.'
Still, even if given the go-ahead, it would be some time before the vehicle would hit our PV5 will have a 161-horsepower (120 kW) front motor producing 184 pound-feet (250 Nm) of torque from a 51.5-kWh or 71.2-kWh NCM battery, or a 43.3-kWh LFP battery option for the PV5 Cargo.
Kia says that the PV5 powertrain has a 249-mile WLTP range and can be recharged from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes using a DC fast charger.
Initially, Kia will offer the three-row PV5 Passenger, which can be optimized for luggage or camping. It was initially developed with Uber for ride-sharing, so it will have a lift-up tailgate and folding seats for passenger/luggage flexibility.
The automaker will also build the PV5 Cargo (High Roof), which has 180 cubic feet (5.1 meters) of space. Standard and long versions will also be available, and like any cargo van, it will be built for two passengers. An L-track mounting system, with sliding tie-down rings that can be positioned in various locations, will be optional.
There will also be a 178-inch-long Chassis Cab featuring the Cargo's finished front end and an unfinished back end that can be developed into various trucks, including a Drop-Side, Box Van, and Freezer Box.
The big game-changer could be the PV5 WAV, though, which was shown in concept form.'What we talk a lot about in the design team is this idea that movement is for everybody. We want everybody to be mobile,' said Jochen Paesen, Kia's Vice-President of Interior Design. 'And then we thought, well, hold on, there's actually huge opportunities; people that don't have mobility, people that maybe we don't think about enough."
Typically, if you need a vehicle adapted for wheelchair or scooter use, you'll buy the vehicle and spend just as much in the aftermarket to have it retrofitted, with a total cost approaching or surpassing six figures. The PV5 WAV allows those with such needs to buy a wheelchair accessible vehicle straight from the factory.
'And coming from the factory, it's thought through,' Paesen said.
Designers placed the entry ramp on the sidewalk side for safety, with a maximum weight capacity of up to 661 pounds. To accommodate wheelchairs or scooters, the second row was moved rearward to make room for mobility devices while equipping its cabin with seatbelts and a harness adapted for wheelchairs. No other automaker in the world offers such a vehicle.
'When you see it standing there, it seems super logical. But it isn't something that many people look at,' Paesen said.
While it feels like the PV5 won't make it to the U.S., it offers a lot of flexibility that would make it an incredible value for a lot of audiences. The WAV is the most likely to be sold here, as it doesn't have any competition and could push other automakers to follow suit. It could even open up a segment of factory-optioned accessibility vehicles if Kia plays its cards right. We've got our fingers crossed.
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