Kia’s new PV7 EV van shows up in the US [Image]

Shortly after Kia officially unveiled the PV7, the new electric van was spotted testing in the US.

Is Kia launching the PV7 EV van in the US?

Kia took the covers off the PV7 at IAA Transportation on Monday, the second electric van from its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) lineup.

The PV7 is considerably bigger than the PV5, measuring over 17.5 feet (5,350 mm) long, or about 2 feet longer than the PV5 (4,695 mm in length).

Like its first electric van, Kia will offer several PV7 variants, starting with the Passenger and Cargo models.

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The PV7 will be available with 71.5 kWh and 96.2 kWh nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery packs. Kia said the Long Range Cargo variant will offer a WLTP range of over 285 miles (460 km).

Front-wheel drive (FWD) will come as standard, but Kia plans to add an all-wheel drive (AWD) variant to the lineup. Depending on the configuration, the FWD powertrain delivers up to 268 horsepower (200 kW) and 309 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque.

Kia PV7 Cargo (left) and Passenger (right) Source: Kia)

It also uses an 800V electrical architecture, enabling it to charge from 10% to 80% in about 25 minutes using a 350 kW DC fast charger.

The PV7 Cargo (shown below) is designed for delivery, logistics, and other business uses. It’s available in 2- and 3-seat configurations and offers up to 6.1 cubic meters of cargo space. The High Roof variant offers even more, with up to 8 cubic meters.

The Passenger version (shown below), on the other hand, is designed for families or as a shuttle with space for up to nine passengers. In Korea, it will be available as an 11-seater.

Following the Passenger and Cargo models, Kia plans to launch 23 PV7 variants in total. Will the US see any of them?

The same day Kia unveiled the PV7, the electric van was spotted testing in the US. The image from KindelAuto shows a disguised prototype during hot-weather testing.

Kia plans to launch the PV7 in Korea and Europe in the second half of 2027. After that, Kia said “additional markets, derivatives, and conversion models” will follow, but didn’t offer any specifics.

Electrek’s Take

While we are pulling for Kia to bring the electric van to the US, don’t get too excited. The PV5 was caught testing in the US several times, raising speculation that it would eventually go on sale. However, it still hasn’t.

The PV7 could find a market in the US as a larger alternative, but it’s still unlikely that Kia will bring it to the States.

For one, Kia builds the electric vans at a dedicated plant in South Korea, meaning they would be subject to the Trump Administration’s import tax.

Kia’s president and CEO, Ho Sung Song, also told reporters that it chose Hanover, Germany, to reveal the PV7 because it’s aimed at the heart of Europe’s light commercial vehicle segment as a bigger sibling to the PV5.

Source: KindelAuto

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