South Korean car maker Kia has received approval for its first electric van in Australia, the PV5, which will include two variants and is expected to arrive on our local shores later this year.
The approved PV5 will be available with either three or four door configuration. The added door is on the driver’s side of the van. Both variants come with 16-inch wheels as standard.
According to the approval documentation, thenew Kia PV5 will be offered with a single battery pack by CATL, which will be shared by both variants.
It’s a 71.2 kWh battery pack, which in international markets is considered the “Long Range” pack with Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) chemistry, delivering around 415 km of WLTP range.
Charging the PV5 from 10-80% will take around 30 minutes, which is ideal for top-ups on driver lunch-breaks or overnight at the depot.
Previous reports indicate that the PV5 will feature both indoor and outdoor Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities, capable of supplying up to 3.68 kW of electricity.
This battery will feed a 120 kW front-mounted motor and is based on the specialised 400 V architecture. This is the brand’s new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) architecture, featured first on this model.
From a dimensions point of view, the sedan is 4.695 metres in length with a height of just under 1.9 metres. Running clearance has also been provided in the documentation at 143 mm, which is just a bit more than the EV3 small SUV.
The three-door variant weighs 1,935 kg and can tow up to 750 kg, while the four-door version has a weight of over 1,955 kg, with braked towing capacity limited to 750 kg as well.
More details on the upcoming Kia PV5, including key local specifications and pricing, are likely to be announced later this year.
At this stage, though, we expect the starting price of this model to be closer to $60,000, much lower than the VW ID. Buzz, when it is announced closer to launch.
The PV5 model has been on a roadshow in Australia since October 2025, making multiple appearances at industry events and fleet-industry conferences.
This model is the first shot from the brand at a full electric van, and we can’t wait to get behind the wheel of one when it lands in the coming months, since it ticks such a big part of the last-mile delivery market.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.