Kia UK plans to launch its brand-new and disruptive electric van business at the 2025 Commercial Vehicle (CV) Show this April.
Dominating Kia’s show stand will be the PV5 – the brand’s first fully electric van – for its UK debut where specification and other customer centric information will be announced. Proudly taking position on stand 5C95, Kia will also deliver an insight into its first ever commercial vehicle business plans.
First seen at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2024, Kia announced its new commercial vehicle business with the acronym, PBV. An overarching naming strategy referring to ‘Purpose Built Vehicle’ and ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’, highlighting the methodology and technology used by these pioneering vehicles to satisfy the varying needs of commercial customers.
Exclusively for the UK, PBV will mean ‘Professional Business Vans’, tailoring the business to the preferred language for commercial vehicles across the country. This self-explanatory term will be used to spearhead Kia UK’s commercial vehicle business and denominate Kia’s van centres across the UK.
The PV5 and Beyond
Disruptive by nature, the mid-size PV5 establishes a new benchmark for electric vans thanks to a pioneering combination of attributes never seen before in the UK market.
The PV5 electric-only van is built on a dedicated EV platform and designed for work across domains including delivery, utilities and ride hailing. The PV5 will be available in three main forms; a panel van, a chassis cab and a passenger variant. The chassis cab is particularly unusual in the mid-size van market and offers further scope for diverse customer needs and customisation.
Every Kia PBV product will come with an industry-leading seven-year/100,000-mile warranty as standard. Kia’s partnership with Geotab and on-board technology, including native access to the Android App store on the van’s central display, ensure fleets can benefit from the latest software solutions.
Mike Costain, Event Director for the Commercial Vehicle Show, commented: “We are absolutely delighted that Kia has chosen The Commercial Vehicle Show to debut their highly anticipated electric van. This event remains the premier platform for manufacturers to showcase cutting-edge innovations, and Kia’s presence highlights the growing momentum of electrification in the commercial vehicle sector. We look forward to seeing how their new launch is received by the industry and how it contributes to the future of sustainable transport.”
Paul Philpott, President and CEO of Kia UK said, “This is an incredibly exciting time for Kia, as we build an entirely new commercial business to deliver world-class electric vans to UK customers.
“Our first electric van, the PV5, arrives at an important time for the UK, amid an unprecedented transition towards electric power across both the car and van markets. Our strategy is to approach the market confidently but responsibly, launching in a phased and progressive manner to ensure each element of our commercial vehicle business is exacted with the same industry-leading standards we’re known for in the passenger car industry. This will cover dealer sales excellence, customer care, service and experience.”
“Together with our industry-leading seven-year warranty that will apply to all our vans, we are confident that our new LCV range will help businesses across the country achieve their carbon reduction goals while importantly never compromising logistical requirements.
“We invite all van operators, users and drivers to come along to the show to see the Kia PV5 for themselves and learn more about how we’ll deliver Kia Professional Business Vans.”
SOURCE: Kia UK
