Kia Corp.’s electrical gentle business car PV5 has achieved the exceptional feat of turning into the primary Asian car to win the business car trade’s most prestigious world award.
Kia introduced on Nov. 20 that the PV5 received the “2026 Worldwide Van of the Yr (IVOTY)” award at Solutrans, the worldwide business car exhibition held in Lyon, France on Nov. 19 (native time).
This award marks the primary time a Korean model has received within the 34-year historical past of the Worldwide Van of the Yr, and represents the primary Asian electrical gentle business car to obtain unanimous choice from all 26 jury members. The PV5 scored extremely throughout analysis standards together with technological innovation, effectivity, security, environmental efficiency, and sustainability in comparison with competing fashions such because the Ford E-Transit, Volkswagen Crafter, and Transporter.
Jarlath Sweeney, IVOTY chairman, praised the achievement, stating, “The PV5 impressed the jury with its glorious efficiency, environment friendly electrical platform, and user-centric design. The unanimous choice by all 26 jury members proves that the PV5 units a brand new commonplace for implementing sensible innovation within the electrical business car market.”
With this PV5 award, Kia has demonstrated electrification mobility management for 4 consecutive years, following the EV6 GT (World Efficiency Automotive of the Yr) in 2023, EV9 (World Automotive of the Yr and World Electrical Car of the Yr) in 2024, and EV3 (World Automotive of the Yr) in 2025.
The PV5 is Kia’s first electrification-dedicated Function-Constructed Car (PBV) mannequin, constructed on the PBV-dedicated electrification platform E-GMP.S to fulfill numerous buyer calls for. Its spacious cargo space and versatile inside construction reveal house effectivity optimized for buyer enterprise environments.
The car ensures excessive security via entrance multi-skeletal construction, battery safety design, expanded software of ultra-high energy metal, superior security options, and pedal misoperation security help. It minimizes pointless part useful resource waste and applies numerous sustainable supplies.
Kia has launched the PV5 Cargo Lengthy and Passenger fashions within the home market, with plans to introduce further variants together with Open Mattress, Cargo Compact, and Cargo Excessive Roof beginning in 2026. On the not too long ago inaugurated Hwaseong EVO Plant West, bigger PBV fashions such because the PV7 might be sequentially mass-produced beginning in 2027.
Kia President Music Ho-sung commented, “This PV5 award represents the end result of producing improvements together with the ‘conveyor-cell’ mixed manufacturing system that allows versatile multi-model manufacturing. It proves that Kia will redefine requirements within the world gentle business car market and open the way forward for good and sustainable mobility.”
