While plug-in hybrid technology is fast becoming the preferred new-energy powertrain for utilities, in the van world it’s pure electrification that seems to be edging ahead as the propulsion tech of choice. Now, Korean automaker Kia is the latest in a long string of automakers that are banking big on a battery-electric van

The PV5 is the vehicle that Kia will be pitching into this space, with the futuristically-styled midsize delivery van built atop the same all-electric platform that underpins the brand’s EV3 electric SUV – albeit heavily modified to offer a flat cargo-friendly rear floor and higher payload limits.

Measuring 4,695mm long, 1,895mm wide, 1,899mm tall, and sitting astride a wheelbase of 2,995mm, the Kia PV5 sits on the smaller end of the midsize van spectrum, and, in two-seater form, offers a total of 5.1m³ of cargo volume behind its steel cabin bulkhead. That compares to 5.8m³ in the Ford Transit Custom SWB, and 6.8m³ in the Toyota Hiace LWB, however the PV5 will still be able to slot a full-size European pallet between its rear wheelarches, and also offers some organisational flexibility via a set of integrated mounting rails along the cabin’s floor and roof. Installing storage shelves, drawers and other cargo management features is designed to be easier than most other vans as well.

Kia’s Australian arm is keen on adding it to the local line-up, though an official confirmation of an Australian debut for the PV5 has yet to be made. If it does come here, however, it could arrive as one of the most affordable all-electric vans in the country, with Kia targeting a €30,000 starting price in Europe – roughly $52,500 in Australian dollars, which would make it cheaper than the current EV van price leader, the $60,000 Peugeot e-Partner.