Kia is due to expand its range of fully electric vans and people carriers with the PV7. That will be the larger brother of the existing PV5. The South Korean brand has announced the new van will be unveiled at the IAA Transportation show in Hannover on September 14th.
The first teaser images of the PV7 show a design resembling the PV5, the first model in Kia’s electric PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) van family. Not really a surprise, because the brand already showed the PV7 Concept at CES 2024. Glimpses of both a panel van and a passenger version are shown in the new teaser images.
One size up
Full technical details about the new Kia PV7 remain unknown until its unveiling in Hannover. The van and people carrier will be built on the same electric E-GMP.S platform as their smaller brother, which uses a 400V architecture.
The PV7 is expected to grow in all directions compared to the PV5. The latter exists in different versions, from chassis-cab to panel van, in various dimensions, with the longest version measuring 4.89 meters. Looking back at the concept of the PV7 could indicate the size of the production version. The CES 2024 concept was 5.27 m long, 2.06 m wide, and 2.12 m tall, with a wheelbase measuring 3.39 m.
Electric camper?
One of the teaser images shows the PV7 at a campsite. This indicates a camper version could be in the works. It would be bigger than the VW ID. Buzz-based ID. California Cruise and the Kia PV5 converted by Dutch camper specialist Vantrack, among others.
But if Kia were to produce a camper version of the PV7, would it be able to stay below 3.5 tonnes?
Kia’s electric van success
The PV7 will build on the success of Kia’s first electric van, the PV5. Shortly after its launch in 2025, it was crowned International Van of the Year. Since then, sales have thrived. According to figures quoted by Kia UK, the PV5 accounted for 37% of Europe’s battery-electric small van segment.
The future Kia PV7 will be in direct competition with other mid-size electric vans, such as the new Renault Trafic E-Tech, which will also be shown at the IAA Transportation in Hannover.
