Kia enters European commercial electric van market

Kia is currently building the factory in South Korea that will assemble the first of the range to be launched, the midsize PV5, which will then be imported to Europe.

Built on its dedicated EV platform, Kia plans to launch a range of electric vans ranging from small to large. The PBV business was first introduced in January by the carmaker with the aim of increasing flexibility and the ability to customise through modular vehicle platforms.

Typically, most European EV imports tend to be from China, although this trend could shift due to the recent decision by the European Commission (EC) to impose additional tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese EVs.

Ho Sung Song, president and CEO, Kia said: “Kia’s PBV business represents our vision of going beyond the traditional concept of automobiles by fulfilling the unmet needs of diverse customers and communities through optimised vehicles and services, catering to specific market and business circumstances.”

He added: “Kia PBVs will be an enabler of business innovation thanks to our customer-centric management system, EV mass production expertise, and the Hyundai Motor Group’s rapidly developing SDx strategy and related future businesses. We are excited to show that we are fully prepared to become the first mover in the global PBV market.”

While Ford, Renault, Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz lead the electric van market, the models are based on ICE conversions, compared to Kia’s dedicated EV platform.