TEST DRIVE Kia’s PV5 electric van gets back to basics of modern vehicles

Kia's PV5 Passenger multipurpose electric van / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung

By Lee Min-hyung

• Published Aug 20, 2025 8:30 AM KST

Carmaker diversifies partnerships with global logistics, delivery firms

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province — Kia’s much-touted modular van, the PV5, stays true to the fundamental purpose of modern vehicles: carrying humans, goods and services.

The multipurpose electric van made its global debut in February, about a year after the carmaker’s fresh concept of the platform beyond vehicle was unveiled at the 2024 CES in Las Vegas.

The PV5 comes in two types — Passenger and Cargo — depending on the purpose of its delivery. For those who want to use it as a family vehicle, the PV5 Passenger offers comfortable and spacious indoor experiences.

The five-seater electric van was smooth yet powerful on first acceleration during the ride from KINTEX in Goyang, a city just northwest of Seoul, to a cafe on Yeongjong Island in Incheon. It took 30 minutes for a one-way trip to the destination.

Shattering widespread perception that vans are less comfortable than sedans or SUVs, the PV5 Passenger model was quiet enough for this reporter to feel as if the vehicle is similar to electric SUVs.

The electric engine enabled the vehicle to minimize any vibrations from the road to the driver, even if it was designed as a multipurpose van that can also be used for commercial purposes.

The PV5 Passenger can drive up to 358 kilometers on a single charge, according to a certification by Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

One key upside is that the vehicle is much easier to drive than typical passenger cars, as the combination of PV5’s electric motor and its rectangular body shape enables drivers to accelerate rapidly with decent visibility on the road.

However, as the vehicle is designed as a van for the specific purpose of carrying people and goods, the car was somewhat less agile than typical electric sedans when it came to its acceleration and deceleration.

The PV5 Cargo also completed a return trip from the cafe to the convention center in Goyang. The cargo version comes with a two-seat layout and sizable load space. Its cargo capacity reaches 4,420 liters, making it ideal for businesses that require frequent long-distance delivery of goods.

The driving range for the vehicle is slightly higher than the passenger version, as it does not have rear seats. The PV5 Cargo can travel up to 377 kilometers on a single charge.

Marking the launch of its long-awaited modular electric van, Kia is on course to diversify partnerships with global logistics firms and mobility companies, and expand the ecosystem for the platform beyond vehicle.

“We are expanding our business ecosystem under ties with companies such as CESCO, Korea Post, DHL and Kakao Mobility, offering PV5s tailor-made to meet their specific demand,” a Kia official said.

Kia unveiled the PV5 for the first time in February during the Kia EV Day event in Spain. The vehicle is equipped with what it calls a flexible body system, which enables the vehicle to change its body into 16 different types.

Starting from delivery of the PV5s to Korean customers in August, Kia will also expand its sales into major European markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Sweden in the fourth quarter of this year.

Kia hopes to turn the fresh mobility sector into its next key revenue stream by utilizing its first-mover advantage. The carmaker plans to build a full PBV lineup by introducing the PV7 in 2027 and the PV9 in 2029.

The carmaker set its annual sales target for its combined platform beyond vehicle lineups to reach 250,000 on the global market by 2030.