Kia Hopes Bigger is Better
After unveiling the PV5 last year (named the 2026 International Van of the Year) as the first entry off their Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) architecture, the larger PV7 slots somewhere between Ford’s midsize Transit Custom and fullsize Transit (as shown in table below). The PV7 shares the same E-GMP.S 800V-capable platform and software ecosystem, now in a larger and more capable size.
Kia notes the PV7 was designed around a ‘tool box’ concept, compared to the PV5’s ‘open box’ concept, with a focus on more capacity and payload. The PV7 benefits from Hyundai’s new Pleos operating system and onboard Gleo AI assistant. The 7-seat passenger model features “long-rail easy remove seats”, and there’s a 9-seater with an optional fourth row of seats. Eventually, there will be a whopping 23 variants available in cargo, passenger, and chassis cab configurations, all coming out of Kia’s newest PBV-dedicated plant.
A glance at Ford’s quarterly business results shows that their Ford Pro commercial business is a key revenue-generator for the company, so it’s clear that Kia is looking for a piece of the action and has all the right tools in its toolbox. And if the PV7 doesn’t quite meet your needs, look for an even larger PV9 van to follow in 2029.
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