Kia PV5 gets bigger, bolder… and chillier
New additions open up more possibilities for the striking electric van, with a tipper and clever five-seater on the way
The smash hit Kia PV5 is expanding, with bigger, smaller, chilled and tipper versions being added to the dramatically styled electric van’s line-up, as well as a practical five-seater.
The Korean brand is already upping its sales expectations by 50 per cent after underestimating the van and five-seat people carrier’s popularity since they launched just before Christmas.
The van already on sale is called L2H1, which means it’s longer than the new L1H1 model that can carry less, but because of the way payloads are worked out, it can actually haul heavier loads. There’s also the new L2H2, which is, unsurprisingly, higher, so it has more load space if you’re looking to lug lighter or taller things around.
A PV5 Crew Van is also on the way with an innovative sliding and folding system for the second row of seats that Kia said will allow it to double up as a regular van during the week and family transport at weekends. The three-seat rear bench is accessed via the sliding doors, and the seat cushion folds up to allow the seating, while the bulkhead that protects passengers from whatever is in the load area slides forward. The bad news is that weight and packaging restrictions mean the Crew Van is only available with the smaller 52kWh battery, so will have a range of under 200 miles.
The crew van and shorter L1H1 cargo van will be on the road before the end of this year, a couple of months ahead of the bigger L2H2 van and the converted models, including tipper and fridge van.
A seven-seat passenger PV5 is also due to hit the road in September, and will be based on the same L2H1 body shape as the existing five-seater, which starts from under £33,000. Although pricing hasn’t been confirmed, the VW ID.Buzz’s sub-£1,000 price walk from five- to seven-seat versions is a logical benchmark, with buyers choosing between fewer seats and a huge load area, or the flexibility of more seats.
Kia has also announced new partnerships for its PBV van centres, with EV charging experts Ohme preferred suppliers for installing home EV chargers, and Radius for larger business or depot customers.
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