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Will Kia revolutionise the electric van market with its ‘PBV’ concepts?
Following Kia’s announcement of three new vehicles set to enter the electric van sector, you may be asking, “What is a PBV?”
If you answered Purpose Built Vehicle, you’d be correct - however Kia, ambitious as ever, have evolved this into their Platform Beyond Vehicle plan, creating EVs “to compliment every lifestyle”.
Not only that, but the South Korean auto-giant’s aim is become a “sustainable mobility solutions provider beyond the traditional concept of automobiles” Ok, you might be finding yourself asking “what does that actually mean?” — well, let’s find out.
Kia’s masterplan begins with the PV5, set for release in 2025, pioneering the magic which will allow these concept EVs to suit the needs of every business and individual. The Trick? Modularity - yes, like a modern sofa - with every PBV being a platform to which different back-end modules can be attached.
The PV5 is presented as the “Mid” PBV optimised for delivery, utility, and hailing (taxi) modules, through its three body configurations. The Basic with larger doors will be built with passengers in mind, Van focuses on maximised interior cargo space, while the Chassis Cab will adopt a flatbed approach for maximum adaptability. It's not all strictly business though, as a campervan version has also been spotted in the line up.
Image credit: Kia
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The vision doesn’t end there, with the larger PV7 and smaller PV1 mirroring this modularity across the market at later dates, all backed by Kia’s fancy IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) software. Initially adapting to each user’s needs and preferences, IVI aims to evolve all the way into an interconnected, AI learning, self-driving PBV ecosystem - futuristic indeed, if not borderline SciFi.
It appears these prototypes may follow the lead of the “influential” Kia Niro EV, rolling out on Continental tyres, something we will keep an eye on as release approaches. So that's about all we have for now, leaving us with one last question - will this future become a reality? Stay tuned.
Hero image credit: Kia