Kia’s first proper foray into the commercial vehicle market is an all-electric van built on a dedicated platform, and while the idea of an electric commercial vehicle isn’t exactly revolutionary anymore, the PV5 brings something different to the party.
It’s modern, clever, exceptionally practical and, perhaps most importantly for a commercial vehicle, designed around the people who actually have to spend their working day inside it. Is this the van to make you ditch diesel?
Kia PV5 – A van that doesn’t look like every other van
Let’s start with the obvious bit. The PV5 is a van, so there are certain design rules it can’t escape. It needs to be boxy. It needs to carry stuff. It needs sliding doors and barn doors at the rear. It needs a reasonably low load floor and enough headroom to make getting in and out several dozen times a day bearable. Kia has managed to wrap all of that in a distinctly futuristic package.
The design follows Kia’s current “Opposites United” philosophy, complete with a modern interpretation of the brand’s tiger-nose treatment. Up front, the distinctive daytime running lights give the PV5 a surprisingly sophisticated appearance, while the main headlights sit lower down. It looks futuristic without being silly, which is quite an achievement for something whose primary job is to transport stuff.
There are practical touches everywhere too. The PV5 uses plenty of protective plastic cladding around the sides, which should help protect those vulnerable panels from the inevitable bumps, scrapes and assorted commercial-vehicle abuse. Better still, some of the exterior panels are interchangeable. That might sound like a small detail, but for fleet operators it could be a big deal. If a panel gets damaged, the entire vehicle doesn’t necessarily need to spend eternity sitting in a workshop waiting for repairs.
My test vehicle was the six-door cargo version, with two front doors, sliding doors on both sides and rear barn doors. And those rear doors open wide, very wide in fact, giving access to a sizeable 4,420-litre cargo area with around 1.5 metres of load height.
What’s more, the rear loading step is just 419mm from the ground, which is particularly welcome when you’re getting in and out repeatedly throughout the day. Because that’s the thing about commercial vehicles, the little things quickly become big things.
A cabin designed for working life
Step inside the PV5 and you quickly realise Kia hasn’t treated the cabin as an afterthought. It’s still a commercial van interior, naturally, and you’re not going to confuse it with a luxury SUV. But the design, materials and layout feel much more passenger-car-like than you might expect.
There are also sustainability considerations in the material choices, with Kia using materials and fibres selected with the environmental impact in mind. But the real star of the interior is storage. There is a decent glovebox, a sliding drawer beneath the dashboard, a wireless charging pad, a large central storage area, cup holders and additional nooks for keys and smaller items.
Then you look at the doors. There are multiple levels of storage built into them, giving the occupants plenty of places to stash bottles, tools, phones, paperwork and all the other detritus that inevitably accumulates in a working vehicle. There’s even additional storage beneath the seat.
It might sound excessive, but spend a full day in a commercial vehicle and you’ll appreciate exactly why this matters. Kia has clearly approached the PV5 from the perspective of someone who could effectively be living in the cabin for eight or ten hours a day.
The seating position is comfortable, visibility is excellent and the huge side windows provide a commanding view of what’s happening around the vehicle (although the tall side windows do stop ‘elbow on doorframe’ comfort. A small price to pay for extra visibility I guess.
The one obvious oddity is the conventional rear-view mirror. Given there’s no rear window in the cargo van, it isn’t exactly going to be winning any awards for usefulness. Fortunately, Kia has sensibly supplemented it with camera technology and screen-based visibility.
Infotainment that actually understands commercial drivers
The infotainment system is another area where the PV5 feels considerably more sophisticated than the average van. The main screen is built around convenience, with navigation given prominent real estate, exactly what you want when your working day involves constantly changing destinations. Vehicle functions such as demisting, windows, climate control and charging are easily accessed without having to embark on a touchscreen treasure hunt.
The EV-specific menus are particularly useful. You can monitor energy consumption, see how much range is available, check the effect of systems such as air conditioning and locate charging stations. Charging settings can also be configured, including the desired charge level and pre-conditioning times.
Then there are the PV5’s additional electrical capabilities, including V2L/V2X functionality. And yes, we actually put that to use. The PV5 can quite literally become a mobile power source, handy if your business involves equipment, tools or, in my case, making coffee in the back of a van.
In front of the driver is a smaller digital display providing the essentials: speed, trip information, battery state of charge and remaining range. Regenerative braking can be adjusted using the steering-wheel paddles, allowing the driver to tailor how aggressively the vehicle recovers energy when lifting off the accelerator.
120kW and 250Nm – Who needs diesel?
Under the floor sits a 71.2kWh battery, feeding an electric motor producing 120kW and 250Nm. That’s enough to give the PV5 some very useful performance. Electric torque means the PV5 responds immediately when you press the accelerator, making it surprisingly brisk away from the lights. In fact, if you happen to find yourself alongside a traditional diesel van at a set of traffic lights, don’t be surprised if the Kia disappears into the distance before the diesel has finished clearing its throat.
Kia quotes a range of around 416km, which is a seriously useful figure for a commercial EV. And our real-world experience was encouraging. At one point, the PV5 was showing an average consumption of just 15.4kWh/100km, compared with the roughly 19kWh/100km figure being used for its official calculations. With 56% battery remaining, the vehicle was indicating around 266km of remaining range.
Of course, actual range will depend on load, temperature, driving style, traffic and HVAC use, but the fundamentals are certainly impressive.
And then there’s the driving experience
This might be the biggest surprise of the whole PV5. It drives really well. The battery is positioned low in the vehicle, giving the PV5 a low centre of gravity. That helps the van feel stable and planted through corners, while the suspension delivers a smooth ride.
And then there’s the silence. An electric van doesn’t have the mechanical soundtrack of a diesel engine constantly thrumming away in the background. There’s no diesel clatter, no engine vibration and none of the usual commercial-vehicle mechanical noise. Instead, there’s a remarkably calm environment. The steering has a good weight to it and the PV5 has an impressively tight turning circle, making it easier to manoeuvre in urban environments and tight loading areas.
Three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Snow) allow the driver to alter the character of the vehicle, while the regenerative braking system provides three levels of adjustment. At its strongest setting, you can get close to a one-pedal driving experience.
The PV5 also comes with Kia’s comprehensive suite of driver assistance and safety systems. Importantly, the systems experienced during the drive weren’t overly intrusive. There are the expected warnings, including speed-limit alerts, while the vehicle can also provide information about upcoming road features such as roundabouts. A driver-attention monitoring camera is discreetly integrated around the steering column.
The electric commercial vehicle makes a compelling case
Perhaps the most compelling argument for the PV5 isn’t its futuristic styling, its clever interior or even its performance. It’s the potential reduction in running and servicing costs. An electric vehicle doesn’t need regular engine oil changes, doesn’t have diesel particulate-filter concerns and generally puts less demand on its friction brakes thanks to regenerative braking. For a commercial operator, those differences could add up over the life of the vehicle.
And then there is the daily driving experience. The PV5 is quiet, comfortable, easy to manoeuvre, spacious and practical. It has the range to cover a substantial working day and enough storage in the cabin to keep the typical commercial-driver arsenal within easy reach.
Tarmac Takeaway – Kia PV5
The Kia PV5 doesn’t feel like Kia has simply taken an existing van and replaced its diesel engine with an electric motor. It feels like Kia has actually thought about what a modern commercial vehicle should be. The exterior is distinctive and practical. The cabin is comfortable and packed with clever storage. The infotainment is genuinely useful rather than simply being a giant screen for the sake of having a giant screen. The powertrain is quiet and responsive, while the range and efficiency make the PV5 a serious proposition for businesses considering electrification.
There are still questions for every commercial operator to answer, particularly around payload requirements, charging infrastructure, purchase price and whether an individual business’s daily routes suit an EV. But the PV5 demonstrates that an electric van doesn’t have to mean compromise. In fact, after spending time with it, the bigger question might be whether diesel is becoming the compromise.
And if Kia can combine all of this technology, practicality and usability with the right pricing and fleet support, the PV5 could be one of the most interesting commercial vehicles to hit New Zealand roads. Oh, and it makes coffee, what more do you want from a van?
