Kia Reveals Upcoming Electric Van Range

Launched at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany, Kia’s new range of fully-electric light commercial vehicles will feature advanced software solutions, over-the-air updates, and (apparently) convincing dimensions and load capacities.
The PV5 concept, PV5 People Mover concept, PV5 High Roof concept and PV7 concept were all on show at the Kia stand in Hanover. Production versions of one or more of these vehicles are scheduled to make their final debut in summer 2025.

Kia’s PBVs are planned to be available in different variants, seat layouts, dimensions, and conversions, and will purportedly feature best-in-class cargo volumes and loading heights - although it’s not overly clear at this stage what those vital statistics will be. The company is already working with partners to develop specialist versions of the PBVs for specific needs, such as those with internal racking, refrigerated goods transport vehicles, leisure models, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Kia did announce its collaboration with the Petit Forestier Group, a leading refrigerated vehicle company, for the development of the refrigerated versions of the PBVs, which shows that progress is being made on having these vehicles ready for market.
For business users in the UK thinking about their future electric van uptake, the key message is that the PBVs will “feature superior cargo volume and best-in-class loading height”, but as yet have not released any spec, although it was confirmed that B2B customers will benefit from a dedicated dealer network and the company will provide its own finance options - although you can expect it to be available to lease from a variety of different sources once it goes into full production.

As you’d expect for a brand-new LCV offering, Kia has developed a new BEV platform specifically for its upcoming vans that can be adapted to different wheelbase lengths and easily accommodate a wide range of vehicle sizes and body types. At the IAA show, Kia announced that every PBV will be covered by a seven-year/150,000 km warranty with a standard 8-year warranty on the batteries. The vehicles feature a clever-looking cabin, AI-powered interface and multiple storage spaces. The cabins can also be turned into a mobile workspace when the vehicle is stationary.

The PBVs will be able to use the Kia Charge network that provides access to more than 780,000 charging points in 28 European countries. The IONITY network can also be used, with more than 4,100 charging points in 24 European countries. If you can find a rapid charger, all PBVs will charge from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. The vehicles can accept 22kW AC charging and fast charging of up to 150kW DC.
The new vehicles will have access to Kia Plug & Charge, a one-step process with charging initiated by plugging in the charging cable using a single card. The vehicles’ EV Route Planner will also help users find the next available charging station. Fleets will be able to access depot charging solutions, and PBVs will be V2L capable, making them mobile power units able to power devices, tools, refrigeration units, emergency equipment and more.

While there’s plenty to get excited about with the arrival of a new player in the UK LCV market, there’s not a whole lot of information about the specific vehicles readily available. The only vehicles on display at IAA Transportation were the PV5 and PV7 concept vans that we were informed by Kia would “only look better the closer to mass production we get”. So, watch this space. In a market dominated by a variety of platform-sharing electric vans, a new player in the space and a unique line of vans is something to look forward to. The big convincers will be stock availability and price, nail those and the PBVs could be a compelling future option. We’ll keep you in the loop as more details are revealed.