- We just spotted an electric Kia PV5 passenger van testing in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- The PV5 was unveiled last year and is currently only sold in South Korea and Europe.
- The PV5 sported front and rear clearance lights, which are required for U.S. market vehicles and not typically found on cars sold elsewhere.
Kia announced its ambition to enter the commercial van market at CES 2024, showcasing an extensive range of electric freight carriers ranging from the small PV1 to the full-size PV7. The first of these to enter production, the mid-range PV5, debuted last year and was marketed in South Korea and Europe. Although we liked the futuristic style and spacious, user-friendly interior, we were unfortunately told that the PV5 would not be coming to the US. But now we’ve seen the PV5 testing on American roads, and we think there’s a chance it will happen in the United States.
We saw the PV5 driving in Ann Arbor, Michigan, not far away Car and driver headquarters, and the white van was in the passenger configuration. While automakers sometimes test cars for other markets in the United States, two specific details caught our attention on this manufacturer-plated PV5: front and rear side marker lights.
In the United States, vehicles are required to have amber side marker lights and reflectors on the front and red side marker lights and reflectors on the rear. These are not typically found on cars in other parts of the world, and this PV5 appears to be fitted with clearance lights that do not appear in photos of PV5s from global markets. The front marker lights are pressed into a thin strip above the front bumper trim, while the rear marker lights are located to the side of the taillights.
The presence of the marker lights on this test vehicle makes us think that Kia could possibly be evaluating the possibility of bringing the PV5 to the US market. Minivan sales rose 20 percent by 2025, and Kia’s own Carnival was a big player, selling 71,917 units, up 45 percent. Although Kia already has a minivan, the PV5’s electric powertrain and different proportions mean it could find a place in the automaker’s lineup.
There is another possible reason for the PV5’s appearance with American-style marker lights. Canada generally follows the same vehicle regulations as the US, and Kia has announced that it will begin selling the cargo version of the PV5 in Canada in late 2026. Kia may just be testing a PV5 passenger van for the Canadian market on the wrong side of the Detroit River, but we hope the company is still considering introducing its futuristic van to the US market. We’ve reached out to Kia for comment and will update this story if we hear back.
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Caleb Miller started blogging about cars at the age of 13, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and driver team. He enjoys quirky and obscure cars, with a goal of one day owning something as bizarre as a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsport fan.
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