Fleet buyers just got a serious alternative: the Kia PV7 offers more cargo space, longer range and faster charging than current midsize rivals. The longer version taps in on the success of the PV5, which has rapidly become Europe’s best-selling small electric van.
Kia has unveiled the PV7 at IAA Transportation in Hannover. The XL version of the PV5 stretches 5.3-metre long, sized up for the heart of Europe’s light commercial vehicle market. The longest PV5 is the L2, which reaches 4.7 metres.
Bigger battery
The top version of the PV7 arrives with a 96.2 kWh battery (not available on the PV5), a claimed range of more than 460 kilometers. Also new is 800-volt charging that can replenish 10 to 80 per cent in approximately 25 minutes.
That must give it enough ammunition to battle the Ford E-Transit Custom (342 km) or the soon to be replaced Mercedes eVito (257 km) with longer range. Renault’s new Trafic E-Tech claims a similar 450 kilometer figure, but note that the PV7 claim is under homologation.
Also, only some preliminary technical specifications for the bigger battery on the longer variant were released.
The PV7 is the second model in Kia’s dedicated Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) family, built on the E-GMP.S architecture shared with the PV5. These modular underpinnings stem from a software-defined vehicle approach, and allow for a wide range of applications tailored to suit a myriad of customer profiles. It is less hampered from the constraints of a converted combustion-engine platform.
For goods or people
Like its smaller sibling, the PV7 will be offered in both cargo and passenger variants, with a smaller option of a 71.5 kWh pack next to the bigger battery. Both are NMC chemistries.
Power output peaks at 200 kW (272 hp against 163 hp for the strongest PV5) and 420 Nm, delivered to the front wheels. An all-wheel-drive version is planned later. The electricity system supports 350 kW DC fast charging, and Kia has added a second charging port at the rear side for fleet operators who need flexibility in tight loading bays.
Cargo capacity reaches 8.0 cubic metres on the High Roof model, or 6.1 cubic metres on the Cargo Long. Payload capacity is rated at up to 1,165 kg for the latter. The load floor sits 550 millimeters off the ground, and the Long can swallow three Euro pallets.
23 variants in total
The shorter Standard version wasn’t unveiled at the IAA, but will follow later. In total, Kia has 23 variants in mind. On top of that, the PV7 will be joined by a PV9 at a later stage to compete in the large van segment. Kia is obviously grasping the opportunity of electrification to make its mark in the LCV segment.
But back to the PV7. In the passenger version, which could also be regarded as an MPV alternative for big families, there’s a choice between a seven-seater or a nine-seater. In the latter case, the fourth bench in the back can also be left out to offer more cargo space.
Powering tools
The design of the PV7 copies most whistles and bells from its smaller sibling, but is instantly recognisable from the headlights in front, which follow an L-shape. The interior is very similar as well, with a central 14.6 inch infotainment screen as the main control system.
In the passenger version a two-tone aesthetic replaces the black ambiance in the cargo version. But the latter features extra storage compartments, as well as a foldable middle seat to create a desk for the driver. Vehicle-to-load functionality means workers can power their tools from the van’s battery. A special driving mode to guarantee stability under heavy loads si also foreseen.
Kia says it will launch the PV7 in Europe in the second half of 2027.
