The first of Kia's new electric van range has been officially unveiled, with further details about the upcoming Kia PV5 electric van.
Unveiled at Kia's EV Day alongside the new Kia EV4 and a Kia EV2 concept, the Kia PV5 Cargo and Kia PV5 Passenger vans are the first in the Korean manufacturer's line-up of Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) models.
The PV5, will be built on Kia's E-GMP.S platform - an adapted version of its E-GMP dedicated battery-electric skateboard architecture. The additional S in the title is said to stand for Service, representing the Service vehicles that will be built on the platform with plans for multiple models and body types.
The electric skateboard platform uses standardised components like batteries and motors to improve the production process, streamline efficiency and reduce costs.
On top of the platform will be Kia's Flexible Body System - a modular body assembly which Kia says will allow them to address the diverse needs of its customers.
As well as the Kia PV5 Cargo panel van, Kia plans to build Passenger, Chassis-Cab and WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) models. There will also be conversions with the Crew (for Europe only) Drop Side, Box Van, Freezer Box, Prime (an advanced model based on the Passenger), and Light Camper van models. The only thing missing is a Luton van, but the PV5’s unusual size wouldn’t really benefit.
The PV5 Cargo will be available in two lengths with a standard wheelbase and a long version that gets a 200mm extended rear overhang. There'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. This has been achieved by lowering the rear loadspace floor to its lowest level. In doing so they have created a narrower than usual loadspace between the wheelarches. The 900mm gap is, however, large enough for a Euro pallet to be loaded lengthwise, and with a wide side access door, a second Euro pallet can be loaded horizontally through the side opening.
For more on the Kia PV5 dimensions read the size guide.
The 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. The 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).
Overall load volumes for the PV5 will range from 3.4m3 to 5.1m3.
The Kia PV5 Cargo stays true to the size of the concept which had a length of 4,500mm, a width of 1,900mm and a height of 1,900mm. The wheelbase length is 3,000 mm.
It's overall size make it closely matched to being a rival to the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo.
What are the battery and powertrain options for the Kia PV5?
All versions and body types of the PV5 will get either a 51.5kWh or 71.2kWh battery choice, however, there's also a 43.3kWh option for the PV5 Cargo. However, while this is on the option list, it's unlikely to be available in the UK and may remain as a specific fleet-only option.
Overall range is claimed to be 400km (249 miles) for the largest battery option passenger vans, but official testing has yet to finalise those numbers.
Power comes from a front-mounted electric motor, producing up to 120kW and 250Nm of torque.
The PV5 will also get fast-charging speeds of up to 350kW which will see a partial recharge from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes.
The cabin gets a two-seat layout as standard, with a three-seat option.
There's also a 7-inch instrument cluster and a 12.9-inch navigation screen which uses an Android Automotive OS-based infotainment system.
This will allow business-specific applications to be used, as well as providing over-the-air (OTA) updates to the vehicle.
Systems will also allow a huge amount of proactive data to be gathered to enable predictive maintenance, keeping vehicles on the road and reducing repair time and costs.
Other functions include V2L (vehicle to load) functionality in the cargo area to supply power to tools and accessories.
Full UK details of the Kia PV5 will be announced in the coming months, including more on the Kia PV5 van weights, specification and trim.
