The PV5 is more than just an electric van. It can do it all. After revealing the PV5 Chassis Cab, Kia showed how it can turn into a food truck, a camper, and plenty of other setups you wouldn’t expect.
Kia launches the PV5 Chassis Cab
Kia’s electric van can do it all. The PV5 is a mid-size all-electric van and the first from Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business.
The PV5 Passenger and Cargo variants are already rolling out across Europe and South Korea, with more markets planned over the next few months.
At SOLUTRANS 2025 in Lyons, France, on Monday, Kia revealed another new version: The PV5 Chassis Cab. As Kia’s first electric chassis cab model, it marks a significant step toward the company’s goal of becoming a leader in light commercial electric vans by 2030.
Like all PBV vans, the Chassis Cab is built on the flexible E-GMP.S platform. Depending on the configuration, the PV5 Chassis Cab offers up to 1,005 kg (2,200 lbs) of max payload and eight cubic meters of cargo space (High Box).
The PV5 Chassis Cab “combines compact efficiency with the carrying capacity of larger vans to offer customers across Europe a responsible, flexible solution for daily operations,” Kia Europe’s CEO, Marc Hedrich, said during the launch event.
Kia developed the new Chassis Cab model with European converters as the most flexible PV5 variant yet. The Dropside can be used for farming or construction equipment, the Tipper for waste collection.
It also supports three types of Box Vans for e-commerce deliveries, as well as a refrigerated option for grocery delivery.
To showcase its abilities, Kia converted one into a food truck and will offer drinks and “brioches aux pralines roses,” a traditional pastry from Lyon.
The PV5 Chassis Cab will be available with two battery packs: 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh. The driving range will vary based on the setup, but Kia said, for reference, the L2H1 Cargo delivers a WLTP range of up to 297 km (185 mi) with the standard battery and 416 km (258 mi) with the long-range battery.
With DC fast-charging speeds of up to 150 kW, the electric van can recharge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes, getting you back on the road.
Kia also introduced the Kia Business Solutions Ecosystem, its new suite of connectivity and charging services for fleets.
The new Kia Android OS infotainment system is at the center with AI Assist, regular OTA updates, and readiness for the PLEOS app market. Drivers can manage and sync profiles on the 12.9″ touchscreen.
Kia’s new Chassis Cab variant follows the PV5 Cargo Long Range, which set a new Guinness World Record in September for “The greatest distance travelled by a light-duty battery-powered electric van with maximum payload on a single charge.”
Using the 71.2 kWh battery with 665 kg (1,466 lbs) payload, Kia’s electric van traveled 693.38 km (430.84 mi) on a single charge.
On Friday, Kia opened its first dedicated PV5 production hub in South Korea. The new EVO Plant East is a 98,433 square-meter site with an annual production capacity of 100,000 units. Kia will build PV5 Passenger, Carog, Chassis Cab, and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) models at the facility.
The entire hub will be about the size of 42 soccer fields. Once complete, it will be able to crank out 250,000 electric vans a year.
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