Kia has confirmed that the brand-new Kia PV5 electric van has had a slight boost in its official range following WLTP testing. The boost is small but welcome, with the Long Range model seeing an increase to an officially claimed 258 miles – up by 11 miles from the previously indicated 247 miles. The Standard Range sees a more modest rise from 181 miles to 184.
Kia has also confirmed where you will be able to buy the brand-new Kia PV5 electric van, having announced the first ‘PBV Centres’ that will specialise in looking after the company’s new commercial vehicle customers. Initially there will be 61 Kia dealers around the country that will be able to sell you a PV5 and look after it afterwards.
There are 61 of the so-called PBV Centres, which are located around the country. These will be the only places where you will be able to buy all versions of the new PV5 – including the passenger model – and its future siblings. The plan is to have all 61 sites up and running by late 2025.
The PV5 made its UK debut at the 2025 CV Show in Birmingham in April 2025, with sales starting officially on the 1 May. It appeared in the UK for the first time in full production form, while Kia also revealed details of the PV5’s pricing and standard equipment, as well as filled in some of the missing details from its specification – including the payload rating – and spoken about how it hopes to win over customers through its dedicated PBV van centres.
The headline items are certainly attention grabbing. The PV5 launched in longer L2/H1 configuration on 1 May 2025, with a choice of two trim levels and two battery-pack sizes. Prices start at just £27,645 before VAT – a figure that you’ll be able to reduce by £5,000 as all models qualify for the higher-value Plug-in Van Grant. The passenger carrying version, also available to order, starts £32,995 on-the-road (including VAT).
Maximum WLTP driving range from the larger of the two battery packs is 258 miles per charge, while payload in combination with the smaller battery pack is 790kg (rising to 805kg when the L1/H1 becomes available later). While these figures are competitive rather than exceptional compared with electric rivals in the small van class the PV5 will compete in, the 4.4 cubic metre load volume of the L2/H1 variant is an impressive result.
High-speed 400v 150kW DC charging means a 10-80% battery top-up can be completed in 30 minutes. There will be a choice of Essential and Plus trim levels and the PV5 will be available not just as a cargo van and passenger carrier but also a crew cab, chassis cab and wheelchair accessible vehicle (though pricing for these is to follow later in 2025). Factory and aftermarket conversions are also in the works.
The unconventional but undoubtedly striking looks sit on a cutting-edged dedicated electric vehicle (EV) platform – called E-GMP.S, this is the ‘service’ version of the technology that already successfully underpins a number of market-leading Kia and Hyundai electric cars – and gives way to a thoughtfully designed, practical and well-equipped interior.
Intriguingly, Kia sees a real opportunity here to win over smaller customers, and will leverage the new network of electric van dealers it’s currently building to find local buyers. With the promise of an attractive total cost of ownership, Kia believes the PV5 could be a suitable first electric van step away from diesel for these kinds of customer in particular, because their daily driving mileage likely falls well within the van’s capabilities.
The PV5’s chief rivals are other small vans such as the Renault Kangoo and the Citroen Berlingo – both representing a number of basically identical other vehicles.
Since when has Kia built electric vans?
The PV5 is the first of Kia’s new range of PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) commercial electric vans to be revealed and the first to go on sale. It has so far been shown in Cargo (van) and Passenger form, with a Chassis Cab variant also confirmed. It’s the PV5 Cargo that’s on display at the CV Show, though we know from having seen them together at an earlier event that this slightly boxier in profile than the PV5 Passenger, reflecting its more utilitarian purpose.
Beyond this, Kia is already talking about a number of key conversion models, including an in-house wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) and Crew Van that have already been revealed, plus Drop Side, Box Van and Freezer Box variants. On top of this, there’s word of a Prime passenger variant (targeting at private buyers) and even what Kia is calling a Light Camper.
How powerful is the Kia PV5 and what’s its driving range?
Buyers can choose between two powertrains for the Cargo model. The entry point is the ‘standard range’ battery, which offers 51.5kWh of charge capacity and comes with a 121bhp (89kW) electric motor that drives the front wheels. This combination claims a WLTP driving range of 184 miles per charge; the PV5 Crew Van is based on this, and has a 174-mile driving range.
The PV5 ‘long range’ has a 71.2kWh battery pack and comes with a 163hp (120kW) electric motor, again driving the front wheels. This version promises up to 258 miles of driving per charge and a 690kg maximum payload.
Both variants have 250Nm of torque (pulling power), but the 51.5kW model is significantly slower, taking 16.3 seconds to go 0-62mph with a full payload, versus 12.5 seconds for the 71.2kWh alternative. Top speed is 84mph across the board. A 10.8m turning circle will make it highly manoeuvrable around town.
AC charging – the kind you might do at a home or workplace wallbox charger – is available at 7kW and 11kW. Taking the smaller battery from 10 to 100% will take seven hours on the former, five hours on the latter, while the bigger battery will need 10 and seven hours for the same.
Kia PV5 dimensions and payload
Kia has announced the following dimensions and payload details for the L2/H1 version of its new van:
| Variant | Cargo (L2/H1) | Crew (L2/H1) |
| Length | 4,695mm | 4,695mm |
| Width | 1,895mm | 1,895mm |
| Height (European specs) | 1,923mm | 1,950mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,995mm | 2,995mm |
| Load area volume | 4.4 cubic metres | 2.4-3.7 cubic metres |
| Load area length | 2,255mm | 1,180-1,868mm |
| Load area width | 1,565mm (1,330mm between wheel arches) | 1,110mm |
| Load area height | 1,520mm | 1,420mm |
| Step-in height | 419mm | 419mm |
| Payload | 790kg (690kg long range battery) | 605kg (standard battery only) |
Kia had previously said it was targeting the space between conventional van classes, and that the PV5 would be slightly larger than the likes of the Citroen Berlingo and Ford Transit Connect, though still smaller than the mid-size Citroen Dispatch and Ford Transit Custom. However the ‘Long’ L2/H1 PV5 is actually slightly shorter than the Berlingo XL. There is also a shorter L1/H1 version of the PV5 coming.
Where the PV5 does have an advantage over those established models is load volume, with Kia quoting up to 5.1 cubic metres of capacity. This will be possible due to an additional high-roof variant that no current small van rival offers. The smallest version of the van will still pack in 4.0 cubic metres, though.
In summary, the PV5 Cargo will come in two lengths and two heights but three variants in the UK: an L1/H1, L2/H1 and an L2/H2, with the L2/H1 going on sale first.
The Long model will swallow two Euro pallets. Step-in height to the load space is as low as 419mm, which is especially impressive given the ‘skateboard’ style structure of the PV5 that places all of the critical components inside a flat underlying chassis. To put that into context the recently announced new Renault Trafic boasts a 500mm entry point, which sits on a similar such structure. A Berlingo is 547mm.
The PV5 Chassis Cab variant has a confirmed length of 4,605mm and a maximum payload of 995kg with the long range battery. This will be supplied as an ‘incomplete vehicle’ sharing a front half with the PV5 Cargo mated to a flat exposed behind.
Kia is working with a wide range of global converters as it aims to provide an easy transition for customers coming to the PV5 from other brands. It’s hoped that official conversions will match the standard Kia warranty length, too.
Warranty details, service intervals and dealer info
The Kia PV5 – and other future vans – will be covered by the same seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty that Kia offers on its passenger cars.
This will mean the PBVs get one of the longest warranties in the commercial vehicle industry, with only Toyota’s 10-year cover offering more. This is in addition to the mandatory eight-year warranty that all electric vehicles have to provide on the battery. In this case, Kia will guarantee at least 70% of the battery’s original performance over this time – which is 5% more than the 65% required by the ZEV mandate rules.
Kia’s new and specific PBV dealer network will support its new vans. These will be based at existing Kia car sites, but all will feature a dedicated van service desk and workshop, with ramp capacity that will even allow the batteries to be changed, if required. There are 61 PBV Centres, which means that just under a third of all the 191 Kia car dealers will be able to look after the brand’s vans, too.
You will be able to get a PBV serviced at any Kia dealership, but only the dedicated PBV Centres will be able to carry out warranty work.
Opening hours and courtesy vehicles will all be tailored to the needs of light commercial vehicle customers. Staff will receive dedicated training with the ambition that they will be well equipped to help small businesses make the transition away from diesel. The sites cover all of the UK, including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.
Service intervals for the Kia PV5 are every two years or 20,000 miles. This and the warranty length speaks of Kia’s confidence in its new product.
What do the pictures tell us?
It turns out that Kia wasn’t fibbing when it said that the production model would be close in looks to the PV5 concept, which was first shown at the CES show in Las Vegas at the start of 2024. A silhouette on the brand’s IAA van show stand in late 2024 hinted this would be the case, and the first official pictures have confirmed that features such as the stylish S-shaped headlights and curvaceous front end have all made it to the finished vehicle.
Kia describes its approach to the vehicle as having two halves, with a more high-tech upper and a more ‘rugged and purposeful’ lower half. This is not just for show, though, with the black plastic cladding around the wheel arches offering protection for the paintwork and the bumper coming in several sections, which can be individually replaced. Handy in the case of a van/fence-post interaction.
These details feature on the passenger version, too, but there are a couple of notable differences. First and most obvious is that huge amount of glassware on the side of the vehicle, suggesting it should be light on the inside. Second is the rear doors. The van has a pair of side-hinged doors while the passenger model has a top-hinged opening, which is handy for hiding from the rain.
What’s the inside of the Kia PV5 like?
The smart ‘goemetric’ cabin design includes a 7.0-inch digital instrument display and a 12.9-inch central infotainment screen featuring an Android Automotive operating system. This is a first for Kia and has been chosen for the ease of integrating business-specific apps.
It looks very modern inside, but also very practical. Cupholders, hooks, storage nets and more are all present, and Kia even speaks of the front passenger seat being removable if the space is needed for other things.
A ‘Kia AddGear’ system will furthermore allow owners and operators to add ‘modular accessories’ to customise the inside of the van after purchase. Kia describes these as being like ‘tailored furniture’.
There are no less than five interior colours mentioned in the latest info, but again it’s unconfirmed what we’ll be getting in the UK at this point. Perhaps not the Iceberg Green. More eco-friendly materials are utilised where possible, including something called TPO in place of PVC on the floor and Bio Polyurethane for the seat covers.
Flexible seating
The PV5 Cargo comes with two seats, the PV5 Crew has five.
The PV5 Passenger is aimed at ride-sharing businesses and has been developed with input from Uber. This will offer up to three rows of seating. Kia will sell these alongside the vans rather than in its conventional passenger car showrooms.
Multiple seat-folding options create further versatility – including combining the flattened second row with a raised board in the load area to create an instant camping bed platform – while the boot space on Passenger versions includes a lower luggage tray and side storage trays to maximise practicality.
Kia PV5 pricing, on-sale date and standard equipment
The Kia PV5 goes on sale 1 May 2025, although the first customer examples are not expected to actually reach the UK until later in 2025.
Prices for the standard range L2/H1 Cargo start at £27,645, with the long-range equivalent costing from £30,145. That’s before VAT and the Plug-in Van Grant.
Here’s the full Kia PV5 pricing announced so far:
| Standard range | Long range | |
| PV5 Cargo ‘Essential’ 3dr | £27,645 | £30,145 |
| PV5 Cargo ‘Plus’ 3dr | £28,555 | £31,055 |
| PV5 Cargo ‘Essential’ 4dr | £28,000 | £30,500 |
| PV5 Cargo ‘Plus’ 4dr | £28,910 | £31,410 |
Standard equipment is generous, with the PV5 Essential including a huge list of factory fitted items such as LED lights with automatic control, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, rain sensing wipers, automatic air-conditioning, 7.5-inch digital instrument screen, 12.9-inch infotainment screen, sat-nav, seven years of Kia connected services, alarm and immobiliser, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, and stacks of safety kit.
Knowing from its car business that customers need to see the value in any upgrade, the PV5 Plus offers some impressive extra tech, considering it only costs £910 (+VAT) more. This includes vehicle-to-load (V2L) so you can use the drive battery to power tools (or a kettle), heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless phone charger, electric folding door mirrors, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, and safe exit warning to stop you opening the doors into cyclist or in front of other cars.
The options include special paint (£695+VAT) and an extra side loading door for the Cargo model (£355+VAT; the Crew van comes with this as standard). Plus models can be upgraded with a heat pump for greater efficiency at cost of £640 (+VAT), too. Racking solutions will be available, but these will be installed at port on arrival in the UK.
The chassis cab, including factory-built dropsides and box vans, arrive in the second-half of 2026, alongside the smaller L1/H1 and larger L2/H2 body variants of the Cargo model.
What this means for you
So there you have it, Kia’s first electric van. The PV5 is attractively priced, has eye-catching looks and some impressive credentials, all wrapped up in a very practical package. If the dealer network slots into place as planned and the total cost of ownership is as appealing as Kia suggests, this could be an outstanding option for a first electric van. After all, Kia now has 11 years of experience selling electric cars in the UK and sees a real opportunity here.
And if you like the sound of all that but the PV5 is too small for you, be patient. Larger PV7 and PV9 electric vans are set to follow in 2027 and 2029, all exhibiting a similar pattern of keen value and flexible design.
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