From the early days of motoring, one of the primary objectives has been to transport people and their trappings and as the years have rolled on we have had people carriers, people movers, MPVs and now from Kia a people vehicle the PV5 Passenger. The CES in Las Vegas in January last year witnessed the PV5 introduction alongside the Concept PV1 and PV7 as part of Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle strategy, a vision by the South Korean carmaker to redefine commercial mobility through modular electric vehicles. T
he production version of the PV5 Passenger was officially revealed earlier this year in Spain and this newcomer marked a significant milestone in the brand’s evolution, combining the clean efficiency of an electric powertrain with the adaptability of a modular body system. The PV5 Passenger is built on Kia’s new E-GMP.S platform, which is a skateboard-style EV architecture tailored for commercial flexibility.
Recently I had the opportunity to take the wheel of this new Kia and immediately I was struck by the wide audience of buyers who could enjoy this vehicle; from the family, business, corporate sectors and I could even imagine it in a motor racing paddock as a means of transporting team personnel. True a vehicle such as this, one with the ability to move people around has always proven popular; I can recall a number of occasions when I used an Espace for the annual holidays, journeying to the west coast of France on one occasion. Keeping choice simple there are two trim levels ‘Essential’ and the top of the range ‘Plus’. There is further choice, a standard-range 51.5kWh or long-range 71.2kWh battery pack; the ‘Plus’ is offered solely with the long-range battery pack. Various markets may offer other trim levels. The all-important range up to 294km (183 miles) or 412km (256 miles) on a single charge, respectively. Equipped with the 51.5kWh battery pack, the PV5 Passenger is powered by a front mounted motor producing 89.4kW (120bhp) and 250Nm torque, driving the front wheels and allowing rest to 100kph (62mph) in 12.8 seconds. With the larger 71.2kWh battery pack, power is by the same by the same front-mounted electric motor producing 120kW (160bhp) and 250Nm torque, also driving the front wheels with acceleration times down to just over ten seconds. All of the variants are capable of a top speed of 135kph (84mph), this is regardless of which battery pack is featured., further good news both models benefit from fast charging; when connected to a 150kW charging point the battery can be topped up from 10-to-80% in less than 30 minutes and when connected to an 11kW AC charger, the standard-range battery charges from 10-to-100% in 4 hours and 45 minutes, while the Long-range variant takes 6 hours and 30 minutes.
The exterior certainly attracts attention, a clean and purposeful design, quite an eye-catcher. The well-appointed interior is based on a three-row seat configuration which offers numerous possibilities; a five-seat, 2-3-0 layout, with the first and second rows used for seating, while the third row is used as a spacious luggage area, complemented by a bottom luggage tray and side storage trays for optimal space utilisation; I am informed that further seating configurations will join the line-up next year; so expect to see a seven seater. I was further impressed when I looked at the practical side of this vehicle, even with five on-board there is a cavernous amount of cargo space; have all five seats upright, rear luggage capacity is 1,330 litres, extending to 2,300 litres with the second row folded. This will fall considerably when the seven seater versions arrive.
Technology is on a par with the rest of the Kia EV range; there is a large display uncommon in other MPVs and LCVs, including a seven inch driver’s instrument cluster and a centrally mounted 12.9 inch navigation screen. Behind the wheel, it’s a commanding driving position, very comfy seating for all who travel in this new Kia and special attention has been paid to deliver confident handling and very acceptable levels of ride quality.
Ian Lynas