Kia PV5 also to be released as chassis cab

The PV5 chassis cab was developed by Kia in collaboration with European conversion companies “to support various body types and applications,” according to the South Korean manufacturer. The chassis, which is less than five metres long, is designed to accommodate a wide variety of superstructures, with payloads of up to 1,005 kilograms and a cargo space of up to eight cubic metres. As an example, Kia exhibited a food truck based on the PV5 at the transport trade fair in Lyon.

Like the cargo and passenger versions of the PV5, the chassis is naturally based on the E-GMP.S platform (Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service), which Kia uses for its ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ (PBV) strategy. This means that the range of powertrains is also the same: the PV5 Chassis Cab will be available with a 51.5 kWh battery at market launch and a long-range battery with 71.2 kWh, which will be available in 2026.

It is more difficult to specify a range for the chassis, as this will vary depending on the conversion – the weight and air resistance of the body play a major role here, but in the case of cooling concepts, the energy consumption of the additional systems installed also has an impact. Kia only provides a few comparative figures: the PV5 L2H1 Cargo has a range of up to 297 kilometres with the standard battery and up to 416 kilometres with the long-range battery. The battery can be charged with up to 150 kW DC, which means that charging from 10 to 80 per cent should take around 30 minutes. On the AC side, charging is possible with 11 kW, and a 22 kW option is expected to be available ‘later’.

The structure comprises a double-ring steel exoskeleton and a rear underrun protection device (abbreviated to RUPD by Kia) as well as a range of driver assistance systems. The conversions can then be mounted on this steel exoskeleton, including flatbed trucks for transporting construction or agricultural equipment, tippers for municipal waste disposal, three types of panel vans for e-commerce parcel logistics, and refrigerated trucks for food delivery.

Kia has not yet announced how much the PV5 chassis will cost. The PV5 Cargo is available in Germany at prices starting at €32,932.77 net with the small battery, while the PV5 Passenger is listed at €38,290; however, this is a gross price.

“We worked closely with converters, fleet managers, and businesses to make the PV5 Chassis Cab a foundation for all possibilities,” said Sjoerd Knipping, COO of Kia Europe. “It allows customers to create the utility vehicle they need today while being ready for tomorrow’s demands.”

“The launch of the PV5 Chassis Cab underscores our commitment to redefining what a light commercial vehicle can be,” said Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe. “It combines compact efficiency with the carrying capacity of larger vans to offer customers across Europe a responsible, flexible solution for daily operations.”

In addition, the company unveiled the new Kia Business Solutions ecosystem at Solutrans, a comprehensive set of connectivity and charging services designed to simplify fleet management, increase operational efficiency and accelerate electrification for businesses. This includes the Kia Charge Business Service for public charging at over one million charging points in 30 European countries, as well as access to Fleet API, a cross-brand, Europe-wide fleet management platform. And via Kia Connect Push API, fleet operators can access data packages including mileage, charging status, GPS data, trip history and vehicle diagnostics.

“The Kia Business Solutions Ecosystem extends far beyond the vehicle,” says Pablo Martinez Masip, Vice President of Product & Marketing at Kia Europe and COO of Kia Connect Europe. “It connects every touchpoint, starting at purchase and flowing through to charging and digital insights to help businesses manage their fleets more intelligently.”

kianewscenter.com, kia.com (German announcement)

This article was first published by Sebastian Schaal for electrive’s German edition.