Kia PV7 Electric Van Spotted Testing in US — SkimNews
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- Kia unveiled the PV7 electric van at IAA Transportation on Monday — its second model in the Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) lineup, measuring over 17.5 feet (5,350 mm), about 2 feet longer than the PV5.
- The PV7 will offer 71.5 kWh and 96.2 kWh NCM battery packs, with the Long Range Cargo variant delivering a WLTP range of over 285 miles; its 800V architecture enables a 10–80% charge in about 25 minutes via a 350 kW DC fast charger.
- Kia plans Passenger (up to 9, or 11 in Korea) and Cargo variants initially, with up to 6.1 cubic meters of cargo space (8 cubic meters in the High Roof), eventually rolling out 23 PV7 variants total.
- A disguised PV7 prototype was caught hot-weather testing in the US the same day as the unveiling; Kia says the van launches in Korea and Europe in H2 2027 before "additional markets, derivatives, and conversion models" follow, with no specifics offered.
- Kia president and CEO Ho Sung Song told reporters the PV7 was revealed in Hanover, Germany, because it targets Europe's light commercial vehicle segment, and the vans are built at a dedicated plant in South Korea — making them subject to the Trump Administration's import tax if shipped to the US.
- Electrek notes the smaller PV5 was caught testing in the US multiple times but never went on sale stateside, making a US launch for the PV7 unlikely despite the new prototype sighting.
Why it matters: US buyers hoping for the PV7 face a clear precedent: the PV5 was repeatedly spotted testing in the US yet never launched there. With the PV7 built in South Korea, any US shipment would face the Trump Administration's import tax, and CEO Ho Sung Song's framing of Hanover as the launch venue signals Europe — not America — is Kia's priority for this van.
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![The Kia PV7 is even bigger than expected and has a range of over 460 km [Images]](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/09/Kia-PV7-EV-range.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1400)
![Kia’s new EV van is over 17.5 ft long and can haul 9 people or lots of cargo [Images]](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/09/Kia-PV7-EV-van-images.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1400)
![Kia’s larger electric van caught with less camo ahead of its ‘big’ debut [Images]](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Kia-PV7-caught.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1400)
![The Kia PV5 is getting a bigger sibling: Here’s our first look at the PV7 [Video]](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/06/Kia-PV7-EV-van-first-look.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1400)
