THE KIA PV5 IDENTIFIES AND PLUGS IN A MARKET GAP

Kia believes electrification is in full swing. They even think it's gone from the early adopter stage to the mainstream. This way of thinking has distilled into their BEV lineup which has diversified at an astonishing rate.

- By ULYSSES ANG

But while the focus has been on the EV range, the Korean automaker, sorry, mobility company, has also identified a market whitespace: all-electric commercial vehicles. Aiming to be one of the first movers in this space, they've come up with the PV5—the first member of a planned all-electric commercial vehicle family.

A glance at the PV5 tells you immediately that this isn't your typical commercial vehicle. Kia has emphasized that instead of converting an existing combustion engine platform, this one is built from the ground up using the E-GMP.S (Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service). The E-GMP.S is a highly flexible and scalable skateboard with an ultra-compact power unit.

True enough, despite having a similar footprint to a compact MPV (4,695 mm in length, 1,895 mm in width, and 1,899 mm in height), its interior space is closer to that of full-sized vans. It can carry up to seven people (2+2+3) while 3,615 liters of space with the second and third-row seats folded down. In its cargo form, it offers up to 5.2 cubic meters of space, about as big as a Toyota Hiace or Hyundai Staria.

More than just about ferrying people or carrying loads, the Kia PV5 also addresses several pain points. These, for example, led to the application of a forward folding and removable front seat (in some configurations) to maximize cargo space; the use of scratch and stain-resistant materials, including the flooring; and the development of a wide range of accessories which can be added onto the builtin roof mounting points, L-Track interfaces, and bespoke Kia AddGear slots dotting the cabin.