Cargo edition will kick off involvement with impressive skateboard-style underpinning, with more in the wings.

HAVING established as Korea’s kingpin of the battery passenger sector, Kia New Zealand’s next big move is a push into the emergent electric van sector with a radical new design.

Kia New Zealand managing director Todd McDonald has confirmed the PV5 will be here in 2026, initially as a van.

Conceivably, the Cargo variant (above and below) might be just the start as head office in Seoul is proposing passenger applications in addition to cargo roles, spanning half a dozen formats, and other PV models.

PV5 is the first in production and has signed off in three body styles: Cargo, chassis cab and passenger.

The core element of the PV models’ construction is a dedicated modularity underpinning called Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) recently revealed in its production state in Europe.

It rides on a new platform dubbed E-GMP.S, a version of Hyundai Group’s skateboard-style battery architecture, and the project has been developed with flexibility in mind, allowing Kia to affix a wide array of bodies atop a flat base.

Kia compares its ‘Flexible Body System’ to building a puzzle and asserts PV5 on its own will be well-suited to a vast range of use cases.

McDonald sees the van having high potential to be welcomed as an innovative new addition in sector that, though already being fed by some European and Chinese fare, is still in an emergent state and showing strong long-term potential.

The production format for Cargo provisions an estimated range of over 320 kilometres in base form. This feeds from a 43.3-kWh unit with a lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry but has also proposed 51.5-kWh and 71.2-kWh battery, both employing nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry.

Regardless, all batteries power a single front-mounted electric motor producing 120kW and 249Nm of torque.

The Cargo builds in standard, long, and high-roof configurations; it’s not clear if Kia NZ is considering just one, two or all.

The high roof can offer a walk-through setup for businesses that need to quickly and easily get to the cargo hold. Kia says the PV5 measures 469 centimetres from nose to tail, making it a bit longer than the Ford Transit Connect that is soon to sell here.

The PV5's maximum cargo capacity of just over five cubic metres also makes it a tad roomier than most compact vans, and Kia says the PV5 cargo can fit two Euro-sized pallets.

The PV5 will also be capable of vehicle-to-load functionality, allowing owners to power tools directly from the cargo area.

McDonald says Kia’s PBV business strategy will “serve as a new ground for innovation, laying the foundation for a new form of EV usability with exceptional flexibility through radical modularity.”

“Kia remains committed to becoming the world’s leading EV brand and sustainable mobility solutions provider by enhancing the options and experiences we offer our customers,” he said today.

Kia first unveiled its plans for a range of modular new electric vehicles under the PBV banner back in 2022.

The PV5 was previewed by the Concept PV5, revealed 12 months ago at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show in the United States.

The production Kia debuted in full at a exposition called Kia EV Day being in Tarragona, Spain, last month.

PV5 is the first in a family of like-looking vehicles. The smaller PV1 and larger PV7 vans - also shown as concept vehicles at the 2024 CES - are also signed off.

A Kia PV3 slotting between PV1 and PV5 is also expected; with all likely to be in production with the next 18 months.

The design studies pointed at a variety of purposes, such as a taxi, accessible MPV and even just a tall panel van.

Kia says the PV5 will be offered in “several configurations to meet a wide range of usage needs”, with additional variants – including specialised conversion options.

One proposal for the passenger-spec edition (above) is adaption for ride-hailing services. Kia worked closely with Uber throughout the van's development.

The PV5 crew—with a mixture of seating and cargo storage—and the PV5 WAV, a wheelchair-accessible model, are confirmed. A camper model is also on the cards.

The Kia is similar in appearance to the Staria van from sister make Hyundai, which is also expected to reveal in electric form soon. Presently Staria sells here purely as a diesel vehicle.

PV5 uses a modified version of the front-wheel-drive E-GMP electric-car platform found in the EV3 and EV5 SUVs, with a 400-volt electrical architecture.

The brand's 'Opposites United' design language delivers with headlights integrated into the lower grille, plastic body cladding, and off-centre logos.

The passenger-carrying version has a lift-up tailgate, while the cargo version has side-opening barn doors and double doors at the back.

McDonald says powerful demonstration of Kia’s commitment to the future, delivering innovative, stylish, and practical EVs that will shape the next generation of mobility and make sustainable solutions open to everyone.”

Commentators have pointed to how the Cargo and Passenger variants share a bold front end with a black section under the windscreen making it look larger than it is.