International Van of the Year report
Day of reckoning for Kia
The Korean brand has George Barrow reports
A
little over a year since it fi rst revealed the concepts at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2024,
Kia has offi cially unveiled its new PV5 van, the fi rst in a series of electric vans it will launch this year. Unveiled in February at Kia's EV Day near
Barcelona alongside the new Kia EV4 and a Kia EV2 concept, the Kia PV5 van and Kia PV5 people mover are the fi rst in the Korean manufacturer's line-up of Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) models. T ey will be built on Kia's E-GMP.S
platform – an adapted version of its E-GMP dedicated battery-electric skateboard architecture. T e additional ‘S’ in the title is said to stand for ‘Service’, representing the service vehicles that will be built on the platform, on which Kia plans to include multiple models and diff ering body types. An electric skateboard platform uses standardised components like batteries and
motors to improve the production process, streamline effi ciency and reduce costs, while sitting on top of the platform will be Kia's Flexible Body System. T e modular body assembly, Kia says, will allow it to address the diverse needs of customers, several of whom are already committing to purchasing the van. As well as the panel van, Kia plans to build passenger version, chassis-cab and WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) models. T ere will also be conversions with the crew (for Europe only) dropside, box van, freezer box, Prime (based on the people mover), and light camper van models. T e body will come in two lengths with a standard wheelbase and a long version that gets a 200mm extended rear overhang. T ere's also a high-roof option that will be available with a walk-through bulkhead making it suitable for the home delivery and courier markets. Kia has worked hard to minimise the
entry height, creating a step height of just 419mm. T is has been achieved by lowering the rear loadspace fl oor to its lowest level. In doing so it has created a narrower than usual loadspace between the wheelarches. T e 900mm gap is, however, large enough
George Barrow
for a Euro pallet to be loaded vertically, and with a wide side access door, a second Euro pallet can be loaded horizontally through the side opening. Overall load volumes will range from 3.4m3
to 5.1m3 . T e rear also gets an optional L-track
mounting system, similar to those used in cargo airlines, to safely secure goods in any position within the PV5 cargo area. T e vans can have two rows on each side of the loadspace with two rows along the headlining and one row on the partition wall in the walk-through variant). “By integrating the clean effi ciency of an
electric powertrain with the unprecedented fl exibility of our new PBV architecture and advancing our product, software, and manufacturing innovations, the PV5 embodies our core values as a sustainable mobility solutions provider,” said Ho Sung Song, Kia president and CEO. “Modern vehicles have become
incredibly complex, but with the PV5, Kia has united multiple cutting-edge technologies toward the goal of simplifying users’ mobility experiences. T is removes complexity from their personal transport needs and frees them to focus on the pursuit of their ambitions and fulfi lment of their passions.” T e Kia PV5 Cargo stays true to the size of the concept with a length of 4,500mm, a width of 1,900mm and a height of 1,900mm. T e wheelbase length is 3,000mm and its overall size makes it closely matched to VW’s ID Buzz. Power comes from a front-mounted
electric motor, producing up to 120kW and 250Nm of torque paired to either a 51.5kWh or 71.2kWh battery, however, there's also a 43.3kWh option for the PV5 Cargo. However, while this is available on launch models, it's unlikely to be available in the UK and may remain as a specifi c fl eet-only option. T e largest battery option passenger van
has a claimed range of 249 miles, but offi cial testing has yet to fi nalise those numbers. T e PV5 will get fast-charging speeds of up to 350kW which will see a recharge from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. T e cabin gets a two-seat layout as
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