IVOTY presentation Kia PBV: Manned spaceflight in a delivery van

The Koreans really mean business—and are going all-in on risk: With a spectacular design and a purely electric platform, they aim to set new standards and make an impact in the previously rather stodgy van sector. Kia (and its parent company Hyundai) are confident that even the generally conservative clientele of craftsmen and transporters will come around once they experience the advantages of the concept. They need to know that Kia's electric vans are at least equal to diesel in all respects and far superior in terms of TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

Sure, it's a tough piece of communication work. After all, the first of the whole "Platform Beyond Vehicle" series, or originally "Purpose Built Vehicle" (PBV) for short, the Kia PV5, looks more like a spaceship that mistakenly landed on Earth than a conventional van. The compact van, which will start its journey between the C- and D-segment (5-8 m³), that is, city vans and 3.0-tonners from 2025 and will be presented at the IAA, completely breaks with the usual visual and design conventions. The VW ID.Buzz, also based on a purely electric platform, is the only vehicle that comes close to matching the Koreans in terms of audacity.

The PV7 aims for the 3.5-ton class

But then again, not quite: The larger 3.5-ton PV7, scheduled for 2027, takes it a step further on a platform widened to about two meters and looks more like a spaceship, a Hymer motorhome concept, or Renault's avant-garde van efforts from the Espace-Avantime era, thanks to its droplet-like integral form and sloping roofline, despite offering enormous interior space (from 8 m³).

You sit with an expansive landscape of storage spaces before you, akin to a glass cockpit—and you almost step in at ground level. You could say it's the end of the "coach seat." The "Large Van" is expected to come with all-wheel drive and unlock additional application scenarios for medium and long-distance travel. Finally, there might be a PV-City-Van to revive the abandoned Fiorino segment, but not before 2030. Almost unsurprisingly for the ambitious Koreans: A Level 4 Robo-Taxi version based on the PV5, labeled Supplement R, is firmly planned and will be developed with Hyundai and Aptiv.
 

Independent E-Platform Creates Space

It is certain: With the pure electric platform of the PV5, which is not derived from the successful BEV passenger cars but was independently developed for commercial vehicles, designers can achieve a completely different layout. The compact synchronous motor fits easily at the front axle, and all-wheel drive is also planned for later. The batteries of the modular and variable concept are installed underfloor like in a "skateboard," allowing for an extremely low floor based on the class's longest wheelbase with an ultra-short front overhang, which should represent the lowest loading edge in the segment.

As a result, the PV5 is also expected to offer the largest loading volume on the smallest traffic area, with an offer ranging between four and six cubic meters, available in two lengths and even with a sleekly designed high roof where the rear wing doors extend up to the roof and the side door is flat. The standard version can hold two pallets. The flat loading floor and the "Ducato"-like "Everything forward" concept should also allow for various versions such as chassis, double cab (with flexible partition wall), box, passenger shuttle, or camper, naturally with various standard fittings like box, cooling, tipper, double cab, or shuttle from the factory, which is being specifically constructed for the PBV in Korea with a capacity of 150,000 to 300,000 vehicles annually. Despite the long wheelbase, the turning circle is expected to be the smallest in the class.

Changing Body: Will it Find Its Users?

Whether the so-called "Easy Swap" technology with interchangeable bodies will prevail remains to be seen. After all, it is an original idea. Behind a fixed cabin or driver zone ("driver zone"), a variety of interchangeable bodies ("life modules") can be connected to the base vehicle through a hybrid electromagnetic and mechanical coupling technology. Taxi by day, van by night, and a private recreational vehicle on weekends—this is the vision of the designers led by Karim Habib.

This should be technically possible through the seam-free "Dynamic Hybrid" body structure. The length of the movable elements is flexible depending on the use. Thanks to high-strength steel tubing and technical polymers, components are reduced by 55 percent without compromising stiffness, according to the promise. Of interest to builders: Delivery will be made using standardized kits, which should enable easy on-site modification of the PV5.

High Range Thanks to High Efficiency

The "Largest" aims to be the PV5 in terms of range: Here, they benefit from the years of electric experience in the passenger car sector, where a full-size SUV like the EV9 has long reached transporter dimensions and weights. In contrast, the PV5 will look rather petite. Unlike the EV9, they are initially relying on a more affordable and appropriate 400-volt platform for the vans, as the ultra-fast charging of the corporation's 800-volt electric vehicles is not as crucial for the industry as it is for private customers, according to the responsible parties. Nevertheless, they are of course also preparing for 800 volts in the long term, specifically an option for the long-distance and intercity compatible PV7. Thus, the PV5 should be able to charge its batteries, whose flexible capacities depending on the application have not yet been disclosed, from 10 to 80 percent within half an hour, which is definitely quick enough.

Most Customers Don't Have a Range Problem

80 percent of customers never drive more than 170 kilometers a day, Kia knows. Therefore, they want to size the battery "moderately" and instead work on improving efficiency. In combination, the customer will also receive a higher payload, which is also supposed to be the best in its segment. And the option to earn money with the vehicle's batteries through V2G technology by making the storage available for grid services. Speaking of the grid: In terms of charging, they can also draw on the expertise of the passenger cars and naturally open up the large Kia Charge network to commercial vehicle customers as well, which is based on that of the Munich network pioneer Digital Charging Solutions.

Sustainability and Recycling Also in Materials

Sustainability is also a high priority: In addition to the extensive use of recycled materials based on PET or bioplastics, all of which are recyclable themselves, they also focus on durability. A Kia van should last at least ten years, thanks to less wear compared to a combustion concept, such as brakes or operating fluids. A three-part bumper with raised cladding is obligatory, the broad info displays are more of a designer gimmick without a chance of realization. The lighting units are also placed high, with the main headlights positioned centrally. Technically, the vehicles are supposed to stay up to date with "Over the Air" (OTA) updates.

Up to Date: Fleet Management System and EV Route Planner

In general, they want to seamlessly digitally connect the vehicle to logistics or the driver through onboard infotainment (IVI) and telematics, the "Kia Connect" app, fleet management (FMS), and the use of artificial intelligence. The functions of the FMS include inventory and temperature monitoring as well as intelligent EV route planning to increase efficiency. The system optimizes fleet management thanks to real-time data and AI integration for predictive maintenance and maximum operational efficiency. Furthermore, a proprietary software is supposed to enable package solutions that can adapt to different business environments. If a battery module is defective, it should be replaceable separately, as should the entire battery if, for example, the range requirement changes with a change of owner.