The new Kia PV7 will be 10 vans rolled into one!
Funky-looking Kia PV5 will be joined by larger PV7 and PV9 vans, but they’ll have a trick up their sleeves…
Kia is investigating the feasibility of giving the forthcoming PV7 electric van a modular rear end, allowing owners to swap from minibus to camper, or from panel van to pick-up, literally overnight.
Kia CEO Song Ho-Sung told Auto Express the company is looking at offering the PV7 “as a donor model without anything” – giving customers greater scope for personalisation, as well as the opportunity to modify their van on the fly according to their ever-changing needs.
“We are now developing the tech; it is not yet, but we are developing”, Ho-Sung said. “We are working with our partners. We are serious about the [body-swap] technology.”
Without going into detail, Ho-Sung suggested the system would use magnets to secure the different bodies, possibly with fixing pins or clips for safety. “PV7 is the platform for this technology”, Ho-Sung confirmed – insisting the new PV5 was simply too small for this kind of complexity.
The difficulty comes with homologation, in that every market has nuanced sign-off procedures for individual bodystyles, creating a logistical nightmare for companies like Kia wanting to offer modular products like the PV7 and future PV9. “We need a formal process for the swap”, Ho-Sung told us. “Otherwise, how do you allow for homologation?”
Kia had previously confirmed that it will expand its new PV family of electric commercial vehicles to include the PV7 and PV9 in 2027 and 2029 respectively. The PV5, which was revealed earlier this year, has already begun making waves due to its modular design and dedicated platform – and these two new larger models will only reinforce Kia’s ambitions when they arrive towards the end of the decade.
Both PV7 and PV9 will be optimised for the domestic Korean and European markets, where Kia is targeting sales of 250,000 units by 2030. Like with the PV5, Kia will also partner with local conversion companies to ensure the different variations are best suited to multiple use cases across diverse markets.
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