Kia PV5 Is The Fun, Modular EV Cargo Van The Industry Needs

• Kia

Kia just pulled the drape off of the much-anticipated PV5 cargo and passenger van, the first commercial van lineup from the South-Korean automaker that's entirely based on a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) architecture. In other words, unlike the Ford E-Transit or even the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, the PV5 is not a gasoline-powered van that was converted for EV duty. It's the real deal. And if Kia plays its cards well, it could significantly offset the North American cargo van market. Here's everything we know about the Kia PV5 so far.

2025 Kia PV5-6

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Kia intends to enter the highly lucrative cargo van segment. The all-electric PV5 could be the model that challenges the almighty Ford Transit.

Kia PV5: An "Open Box For Various Lifestyles"

Kia PV5 TopSpeed 1

Kia will release more details about the PV5, as well as other upcoming EVs, during its EV Day event scheduled on February 27th. But for now, what we know about this van is that Kia wants it to act as an open canvas for buyers to adapt it to their own needs. In other words, the carmaker is speaking of some form of modularability, allowing the van to be changed into different configurations - presumably inside - in order to better adapt to the cargo van lifestyle. "A shapeable space that helps you to live and work the way you want" - is currently displayed on the PV5's dedicated media page. We'll have to wait until next week to know what that truly means.

Taking a direct stab at the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, the PV5, which is part of a larger family of electric commercial vehicles that Kia calls PBV (for Platform Beyond Vehicle) will more-or-less be a lifestyle van like the VW, and focus more on actual cargo van labor. What we do know is that it'll ride on the Hyundai Group's E-GMP EV architecture, which should allow it to be powered by different battery sizes and be available in either two or dual-motor all-wheel-drive configurations. Kia also plans on expanding this lineup with a longer wheelbase version called the PV7.

As a matter of fact, the automaker has big plans for its EV cargo line, already projecting 230,000 PBV sales globally by 2030, which should help Kia reach its global electrified (including plug-in hybrids) sales target of 2.5 million vehicles. In 2030, Kia would like to see global sales of the PV5 somewhere around 150,000 units and roughly 100,000 for the PV7.

The North-American Market Is Still Being Studied

2024 SEMA - Kia PV5 WKNDR Concept

But Kia currently hasn't confirmed if both the PV5 and PV7 will be sold in the U.S. and Canada. A Kia spokesperson told Automotive News that the automaker is currently evaluating if these vehicles would be fit for the North American market, where the cargo van commercial fleet market is still mainly dominated by American carmakers. Ford, as an example, has been so invested in this segment, that it has baked into its product offering a truly comprehensive pricing and packaging strategy that seems to resonate well with fleet owners, explaining why it managed to have such a strong presence in this business.

So, although the PV5 does appear like a refreshing take on the cargo van concept, Kia has a lot of work to do to seduce buyers into ditching their Transits and Sprinters for a Kia instead. The PV5 will need to present itself as a true, viable alternative to the trustworthy workhorses American and Canadian industries have been relying on for years. Still, the PV5 is a sign of progress in an otherwise conservative field. It'll be interesting to see what Kia will end up deciding for our market. We'll make sure to keep a close eye on the carmaker's EV Day event next week, and we'll report back here once we know more.