Kia’s Next EV Is This Giant Van

• Kia brings its new battery-electric Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) to the IAA Transportation in Hanover, Germany, ahead of a European market launch in 2025.

• The automaker is moving into the light commercial vehicle market, with plans for a range of battery-electric vans and light trucks aimed at businesses large and small.

• The purpose-built vehicle market has seen a large number of startups over the past decade, some of which have made it into the production stage as with GM's BrightDrop and Rivian's Amazon vans, but mass adoption by businesses remains elusive.

Not long ago Kia revealed plans to enter the purpose-built vehicle market, eager to get a slice of the anticipated commercial EV frenzy. This niche had been the subject of plenty of optimism for the past decade, having now seen many startups try to stake out their claim to unique commercial vehicles ahead of predicted government mandates for urban cargo models.

Most of these models have been aimed at the much-hyped last-mile delivery market, which has taken on a growing importance in the age of e-commerce. But some have been aimed at more traditional businesses that may have been on the fence about going electric, especially for financial reasons.

Kia has now brought its first PBVs to the IAA Transportation in Hanover, Germany, with the PV5 and PV7 models aimed at the passenger van market that has traditionally been dominated by diesel models in Europe.

Inaugurating a new design direction for Kia, the vans feature relatively short overhangs, low-set window sills and plenty of headroom, aimed at the likes of the hotel shuttle market.

And "disruption" is apparently still a key buzzword.

"In order to disrupt the LCV market, an all-in approach is needed to maximize the benefits of a dedicated platform for a wide range of customers," said Marc Hedrich, president of Kia in Europe. "While this approach is not a first for electric passenger cars, it's certainly the first time we see it for LCV."

Promising quick recharge times of 30 minutes from 10% to 80% state of charge, these are passenger vans rather than minivans, making them competitors to Ford's E-Transit models, but perhaps not the smaller VW ID. Buzz.

With built-in V2L capability, the PBVs will be able to power several electric tools at once, Kia says, pitching the commercial cargo vans to tradespeople.

Fleet management is a big part of the PBV business model, Kia stresses, with the upcoming PBVs set to take advantage of the Kia Charge network that offers 780,000 charging points in 28 countries in Europe. In addition, buyers will also be able to use the Ionity network that offers an extra 4,100 charging points in some 24 countries on the continent.

All of the PV variants sit on a specially developed platform for LCVs that can accommodate different vehicle bodies, which has been one of the promises of skateboard platforms since the dawn of the EV age. This means Kia will be able to offer quite a few variants without changing much underneath, while offering business-focused interiors.

"This is a benchmark moment, and our PBVs are set to deliver better accessibility, higher volumes, and lower running costs, to completely change logistics and mobility," Hedrich added.

An Uber-aimed variant is in the works, the automaker revealed earlier this year, but North American timing and lineup remains a bit vague.

Kia will face a number of early competitors in Europe by the time the PBVs start shipping next year, including models from Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and VW, which have been big players in the white van market in Europe. But the overall trajectory of this segment remains in its early stages, with prices still keeping plenty of buyers shackled to diesel offerings.

Will new battery-electric light commercial vehicles be able to obtain a large slice of the commercial market in this decade, or will it take much longer for EVs to secure a foothold in this niche? Let us know what you think in the comments below.