It’s no wonder the PV5 is flying off dealer lots. With more than enough driving range, fast charging, and a high-tech, spacious interior, Kia’s electric van may be the ultimate people mover.
Kia PV5 beats its WLTP range rating in the real world
The PV5 is a fully electric, midsize van, and the first from Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) lineup.
Based on Hyundai Motor’s flexible E-GMP.S platform, the PV5 comes in a variety of “top hats,” or different configurations for personal and business use.
It’s currently available in Passenger, Cargo, Crew, Open Bed, and Chassis Cab body types with more on the way.
While the PV5 has taken the global light commercial electric vehicle (eLCV) market by storm, accounting for 9% of Europe’s eLCV sales in Q1, Kia’s EV van was put to the test to see how it holds up in real-world, everyday driving situations.
During the El Prix Summer EV Range Test, held by the Norwegian Automotive Federation (NAF) and Motor, the PV5 Passenger with the long-range 71.2 kWh battery drove 260 miles (420 km) without stopping, beating its official WLTP range rating of 256 miles (412 km).
The PV5 ranked among the top five family vehicles for WLTP deviation and achieved an average energy consumption of 4.5 miles/kWh (13.8 kWh/100km).
With DC fast charging up to 150 kW, Kia’s electric van charged from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes, matching its official figures.
“These independent results from the NAF El Prix Summer Test confirm the PV5 Passenger meets the demands of everyday family mobility, both in urban use and on longer journeys,” Kia Europe’s PBV Director, Erhan Eren, said following the achievement.
The El Prix is held twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, to test electric vehicles under real-world, everyday driving conditions and see how range and charging stack up against their official figures.
Kia offers the PV5 Passenger with two battery packs: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh. The former has an official WLTP range of up to 183 miles, while the latter is rated with 256 miles.
Thanks to the dedicated E-GMP.S platform, Kia’s electric van offers “class-leading interior space” with up to 3,615 L of cabin room. Earlier this month, Kia opened orders for the PV5 Passenger 7-seat model, starting at £31,695 ($42,500) in the UK, including a £1,500 Government Electric Car Grant (ECG).
The PV5 Cargo, with the 71.2 kWh battery, set a new Guinness World Record last November, achieving 30.84 miles (693.38 km) on a single charge while carrying a full load.
Kia’s smallest electric SUV, the EV2, also beat its official range rating during the test, driving 201 miles (325 km) and ranking first in its class.
Will Kia ever bring the PV5 to the US? While it’s been spotted a few times driving and charging in public, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. The PV5 is built at Kia’s dedicated PBV plant in South Korea, meaning it would be subject to the Trump Administration’s import tariffs. We will keep pulling for it.
Next year, Kia will introduce the larger PV7 electric van (which was just captured driving in Korea for the first time).
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