Kia PV5 Electric Van First Look: More Details on a Potential (Volkswagen) Buzz Kill
This midsize box from Kia looks cool as-is—and cooler versions are coming.
Kia gave us the PV5 concept, its first answer to a question none of us were asking, frankly, before the 2024 CES in Las Vegas: What if the Korean brand built an awesome-looking, all-electric van that promised numerous variations including passenger, cargo, and (later) adventurous off-road campers? Well it is, and we dig it. The only open question for now is whether or not Kia will send the real-life, non-concept version of the PV5 just revealed today to America.
The PV5 is a smallish electric van that mines battery and motor tech from elsewhere in the Hyundai-Kia product portfolio. At 184.8 inches long, 74.6 inches wide, and 74.8 inches tall (with a long 117.9-inch wheelbase), the PV5 fits in the shadow of a modern compact car. Kia dubs this a “PBV,” or “Platform Beyond Vehicle” intended to fulfill diverse customer needs through innovative modularity.
Three Battery Sizes, One Highly Flexible Factory
Kia will build the PV5 in a specialized factory in Korea capable of producing small batches of PV5 variants. Cargo models will be available with as small as a 43.3-kWh battery pack; passenger and chassis cab models can only be had with 51.5-kWh or 71.2-kWh packs. Total driving range is estimated at up to 249 miles on the WLTP test cycle. Every PV5 is front-wheel-drive, powered by a 120-kW electric motor.
Kia promises further variations on the PV5 theme, including derivative models and conversion options. We’re hoping those include production-intent versions of the PV5 Wkndr off-road electric camper van concept. With a global starting price around $30,000, even tariffs or America’s “Chicken tax” on foreign-built trucks could mean a $40,000-ish MSRP—about twenty grand cheaper than the Volkswagen ID Buzz.
