Van vision: Kia unveils electric van and people mover concepts at CES as it launches 'Platform Beyond Vehicle' business

The mid-sized Kia PV5 van will be joined by a larger PV7 and a smaller PV1 from 2025 onwards.

Kia has revealed a series of electric vans it plans to use to “revolutionise the mobility industry” with modular designs that allow owners to use one vehicle for numerous purposes.

The Kia ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ (PBV) announcement consists of the reveal of three electric van model lines and a three-phase rollout which first sees one of the models, the mid-size PV5, become available in numerous styles from 2025.

Later, it will be joined by a larger PV7 and a smaller PV1, though Kia’s PBV plans for those models currently come sans timeline.

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The key crux of the PBV line-up is that the vans are modular - that is they can have their bodies swapped to be fit for a specific purpose, somewhat blurring the line between people mover and commercial van.

Kia says the first model, the PV5, will come in different versions including “Basic, Van, High Roof, and Chassis Cab”, each able to be relatively easily modified ‘on-the-go’ to “transport people, move goods, or meet logistics or personal mobility needs”.

The Kia ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ (PBV) announcement consists of the reveal of three electric van model lines and a three-phase rollout which first sees one of the models, the mid-size PV5, become available in numerous styles from 2025.

Each van is able to have its upper body swapped, Kia says, using interchangeable modules that can be connected to the chassis behind the driver cabin via a “hybrid electromagnetic and mechanical coupling technology”.

Inside, illustrations show the brand has ideas for similarly modular interiors, able to be arranged for each use case, while the driver’s cabin is able to also be used as a workspace.

While Kia’s global reveal and explanation of the technology is relatively vague, it appears the plan is essentially Kia’s way of making vans a more appealing option to a wider range of customers.

Kia President and CEO Ho Sung Song called the series of vehicles an “enabler of business innovation” and said they are aimed at meeting “the unmet needs of diverse customers and communities”.

While Kia’s global reveal and explanation of the technology is relatively vague, it appears the plan is essentially Kia’s way of making vans a more appealing option to a wider range of customers.

“Kia PBVs will be an enabler of business innovation thanks to our customer-centric management system, EV mass production expertise, and the Hyundai Motor Group’s rapidly developing [software-to-everything] strategy and related future businesses.”