► Kia PV5 makes UK debut
► First in a range of Kia electric vans
► Available to order May 2025
A Kia van? Yep, the manufacturer that has been turning out some class-leading electric cars is now going to take on the commercial vehicle industry and start making electric vans. This is the first of them, the Kia PV5, and it’s just made its UK debut in full production guise at the 2025 CV Show.
Pricing starts from £27,645 (plus VAT) for the longer ‘L2/H1’ versions that are coming to market first and it includes lots of standard standard kit. This positions the PV5 as a great value choice, as well as one of the funkiest small van designs you can buy. The 247-mile driving range from the big battery variant isn’t too shabby, either.
Based on a new E-GMP.S skateboard platform, this dedicated EV uses cell-to-pack battery tech for improved efficiency and allows a modular approach to the upper body. The S stands for Service, incidentally, as this evolution of Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP underpinnings is exclusively for use by commercial vehicles.
What’s the background here?
The first concept Kia PBVs – that’s ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle, apparently Korean for ‘van’ – appeared at CES in 2024, and the models heading out to customers will share a lot with those initial versions. This means the funky S-shaped thin headlights that link up with the thin A-pillars, and sleek styling on the upper half of the body.
It’s intriguing to see the new entrant’s design shaking up a traditionally very conservative sector. Though it’s also easy to mistake the PV5 for a larger van than it is, since it looks so different to other small vans such as the Citroen Berlingo and Renault Kangoo as a result.
Van owners will be reassured by the core principles of the PV5, though, with the bottom half described as being a ‘robust, technical lower section.’ This is the area that will take the brunt of the hard life vans are subjected to.
This includes a chunky set of black plastic wheelarches and bumpers with corner sections that can be independently replaced. Good news for those who suffer a bump on a building site, say.
Kia PV5 technical details
This is a front-wheel drive van, with a front-mounted electric motor and a choice of two battery pack sizes in the UK (a third, smaller 43.3kWh battery is not coming here).
The standard range version packs 51.5kWh and a 119bhp (89kW) electric motor, achieving a WLTP rating of 181 miles per charge in Cargo form. The long range version has a 71.2kWh battery and a 161bhp (120kW) motor, and promises up to 247 miles WLTP.
Both offer 184lb ft of torque, but as well as having a much greater driving range, the long range model is also significantly faster. It does 0-62mph in 12.5sec to the standard range’s 16.3sec – though it is notable that the times quoted are with a full payload. End of the day and job done, both will quirt you home through urban traffic pretty rapidly, we reckon.
Speaking of payload – which is pretty important for small electric vans – the smaller battery gives you 790kg to play with while the larger battery is restricted to 690kg. That’s a competitive set of figures, further enhanced by the 4.4 cubic metre load volume.
The pictures are slightly deceptive, we think, as in real life even the longer version of the PV5 is under 5m in length – shorter than a Berlingo XL – and there’s a smaller L1/H1 model coming as well. Boosting the amount of load space available still further, Kia will later add an L2/H2 High Roof derivative. The resulting 5.1 cubic metres of volume is greater than any mainstream rival small van.
As per Kia, the PV5 has 400v charging – though capped at 150kW DC this is still enough to get 10-80 per cent topped up in under 30 minutes on the public network. AC wallbox charging at 7kW takes 7-10 hours for 10-100 per cent, with an 11kW connection dropping that to 5-7 hours.
What’s it like inside?
Kia’s gone for a modern modular interior concept that it refers to as ‘geometric’ in design. There’s a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster plus a 12.9-inch central touchscreen, the latter running Android Automotive for app integration – a first for Kia – and plenty of storage.
More unusually, there are at least five interior colours – including Navy Blue, two shades of brown and Iceberg Green – though we doubt all of them will make it to the UK options list. You will also be able to get ‘Kia AddGear’ accessories that will allow you to customise the interior even after the van has been purchased.
Other neat features include an optional ‘L-track’ load restraint system (again maybe not for the UK) a walk-through bulkhead for two-seater Cargo models (ditto), and vehicle-to-load (V2L) power take-off that means you can use the drive batteries to power your tools. That is definitely coming to the UK, but will only be standard on the higher specification Plus trim level.
Kia PV5: passengers as well as parcels
The van won’t be the only PV5. Kia is also building a PV5 Passenger model. This features the same fundamental design as the van, but the latter has a more boxy profile, befitting its greater internal space.
However, the PV5 Passenger shares the chunky protective elements on the lower half of the body while adding a huge amount of glassware on the sides of the vehicle, suggesting a light interior. Both have the same side sliding doors, but the rear doors are different. The passenger model gets a top-hinged opening that is handy for sheltering from the elements, while the van gets twin side-hinged back doors.
The PV5 Passenger is fundamentally targeted at ride-sharing businesses, and apparently the design has had some input from Uber. Kia is now talking about a Prime variant aimed at private buyers, though, alongside a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) and even a Light Camper.
Five-seater PV5 Passengers will be available first, and Kia is talking about a 249-mile range and 0-62mph in 10.7sec from the 71.2kWh battery and 161bhp motor; the 51.5kWh / 119bhp powertrain will also be offered, promising 179 miles of driving range and 12.8sec 0-62mph.
Top speed of all PV5s is electronically limited to 84mph.
Seven-seater variants will follow later. The five-seater has a vast 1,320 litres of boot space, rising to 2,315 litres with the rear seats folded.
Meanwhile, the Cargo model will spawn a PV5 Chassis Cab (which we’ve recently caught testing). This will form the basis of a number of conversions including box vans and mobile fridges. A PV5 Crew van based on the Cargo will bring five seats and utility as well.
Is the Kia PV5 electric van good value?
Now that some UK pricing has been announced, the PV5 is certainly looking like a tempter – especially for anyone after their first electric van.
The £27,645 cost of the core standard-range L2/H1 Cargo is subject to VAT, but also compatible with the higher-value Plug-in Van Grant – which will take £5,000 off the price at current rates. Kia is also promising attractive finance, and like all its vehicles, that money includes a seven-year / 100,000-mile warranty.
Want the bigger battery? The long range PV5 Cargo costs from £30,145. What’s more, the basic Essential trim level is absolutely loaded with standard equipment, including two screen, automatic air-con, LED lights, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and stacks of safety kit.
As mentioned, only the higher-spec Plus trim includes V2L, though, at a very reasonable extra cost of £910 (plus VAT). You also get wireless phone charging, heated front seats and steering wheel, and even more safety equipment. And if efficiency is your thing, only Plus variants get the option of a heat pump for an other £640 (plus VAT).
When and where can I buy one?
Kia will sell the PV5 via a dedicated electric van dealer network – which is a smart move if it wants to be taken seriously by van buyers, as they require a different level of service with longer opening hours and appropriate courtesy vehicles. Roughly 60 locations are planned, and about 50 already confirmed. Not all of these will be at existing Kia dealer locations, so check before you travel if you want to see the PV5 in person when they start arriving in the UK late in 2025.
Order books open 1 May 2025.