The award-winning Kia PV5 electric van is now available in chassis cab form, allowing it to serve as the base for various types of conversions to suit more business needs.

Built on Kia’s commercial vehicle E-GMP.S (Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service) architecture, the new Kia PV5 Chassis has been engineered to accept a variety of application-specific bodies, and has an exposed rear chassis that allows businesses maximum flexibility.

In the UK, the official conversion partner of Kia’s PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) line-up is the TGS Automotive Group, which later this year will offer a lightweight tipper, dropside and box/Luton van conversion. There will also be a range of modular options, including mesh cage, fall arrest systems, beacons and ‘chapter 8’ traffic management livery. 

Kia says conversions based on the PV5 Chassis will have a claimed best-in-class payload, while a relatively tight 5.5-metre turning radius – about the same as a typical family hatchback – should help on city streets, building sites and in depots. There’s only going to be one battery option for UK customers, but it’s the 71.2kWh ‘Long Range’ unit that in the PV5 Cargo panel van is good for nearly 260 miles on a single charge. 

Of course, the range and payload will vary for each conversion depending on the design, load, equipment and other factors. But, with a maximum charging speed of 120kW, every PV5 can be topped up from 10-80 per cent in half an hour, while a full charge will take less than seven hours from an 11kW wallbox. 

The PV5 Chassis comes with Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty, while the battery pack is covered for eight years.