Kia PV5, PV1 and PV7 signal big plans for the UK electric van market

Move over Ford and Volkswagen, the future of electric vans could be Korean as Kia has announced its entry into the commercial EV market with a line-up of concepts which could find their way into the hands of business owners as early as 2025.

Spearheading this new venture is the Kia PV5 which sits on the firm’s all-new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) underpinnings. This platform is modular, just like the CMP one that underpins the Kia EV6 and larger EV9, meaning it can be used in a variety of different models – highlighted by the smaller PV1 and the larger Ford E-Transit-sized PV7 concepts, which should join the PV5 in production form a few years after that van goes on sale.

It’s the PV5 which will be coming first, though - available in several different cab and load space configurations. First unveiled at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Kia PV5 was shown in panel van form but also as a taxi and a camper van. A pick-up truck version has also been announced, although we think this is more likely to be aimed at the US market, rather than here in the UK.

Other than its new platform, little is known at this stage as to what will power the production Kia PV5. Existing electric van rivals such as the Citroen e-Berlingo can typically travel up to 200 miles before needing to be plugged-in, although given Kia’s new state-of-the-art technology, it’s possible the PV5 could have a range in the realm of 300 miles.

However, we do expect the production van to have looks not all too far removed from those of the concept. As with Kia’s latest production electric cars such as the forthcoming EV5 family SUV, the PV5 will get a boxy, futuristic silhouette, with sleek-looking LED lighting. Kia has also said its vans will feature advanced technology, with integrated AI and advanced semi-autonomous driving features.

This is all quite a way off for now, though; Kia has suggested that the earliest we’ll see a production PV5 on the roads is 2025, with the PV1 and PV7 being even further down the line. The Korean brand certainly has much on its plate for now, with the aforementioned EV5 SUV and the smaller EV3 crossover and EV4 saloon also arriving in the next couple of years.