If you grew up in the 1980s or 90s, you remember when minivans ruled the suburbs. You and your friends would pile into one to hit up the mall or carpool to soccer practice. They were a popular choice for families, but SUVs rose to domination, offering a “cooler” vibe while still providing plenty of cargo and passenger space. As the average price of a new car hovers near $50,000, however, some families are beginning to reconsider the minivan. In 2025, minivan sales jumped 21%.
If you want to get an electric minivan, the only one currently for sale here is the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, and a pause on production has limited its availability. It will return for the 2027 model year, but Kia’s PV7 could offer competition — if it was slated for release in the U.S. Unfortunately, it will only be available in Europe and South Korea, at least for now.
The PV7 expands Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle, or PBV, lineup, which debuted with the electric PV5 van in 2025. It’s about two feet longer than the PV5 and will come in passenger and cargo variants. The PV7 will come standard with a 71.5 kWh battery, which is an optional selection on the PV5. If you want to go even further, this new electric van will also be sold with a 96.2 kWh battery. But that’s not all this minivan has to offer.
What sets the PV7 apart
Minivan buyers are typically looking for excellent fuel efficiency (or when it comes to EVs, range) and abundant interior cargo and passenger space. The PV7 should not disappoint on either. Much like the PV5, it offers a flat floor, but while the PV5 offers room for up to seven passengers, the passenger version of the PV7 can hold up to nine. Additionally, the PV7’s layout offers easy movement between the front and rear seats with seats that swivel for face-to-face configuration.
The PV5 has a maximum WLTP-rated driving range of 256 miles, which roughly translates to about 205 EPA-rated miles. The long-range cargo version of the PV7 will offer a range of 289 miles and the ability to charge from 10% to 80% in about 20 minutes. While the PV5 has a standard 400-volt electrical architecture, the PV7 will have 800-volt charging and will be compatible with ultra-fast chargers.
While the PV5 is available only in front-wheel drive in both the passenger and cargo models, Kia plans to offer a dual-motor, all-wheel drive configuration on the PV7, though it will first launch as a 268-horsepower, single-motor vehicle with front-wheel drive. The cargo version will be offered in two- and three-seat configurations and in regular, long, and high roof models. Buyers can select either a twin-swing tailgate or lift-up tailgate.
Styling, features and potential camper conversion
Kia’s newest electric van has vastly different exterior styling compared to the Carnival, its only minivan offering in the U.S. It has a boxy, upright, and ultra-modern design, with a blunt nose and vertically oriented headlights. It may not appeal to American buyers who don’t traditionally embrace the cab-forward design.
Inside, the cabin has a 14.6-inch touchscreen and a digital gauge cluster. It also boasts Kia’s new Android OS-based Pleos Connect system, which is designed to feel more like a smartphone. It has an open app marketplace and an AI-powered voice assistant for navigation, vehicle functions, and more. Like the PV5, the PV7 also has the Kia Business Solutions Portal, which allows fleet managers to more easily maintain the vehicles. Innovative safety features include Pedal Misapplication Safety Assist 2.0, which helps reduce the risk of unintentional acceleration.
The PV7 is both wider and longer than the PV5, making it a great option for a camper van conversion. Several companies offer camper van conversions of the PV5. In the UK, Sussex Campervans, which has converted the PV5 for campers, already announced plans to do the same with the PV7 with two different layouts. Kia plans to release the PV7 in Europe and Korea in the latter half of 2027. At time of writing, the automaker has not announced plans for a U.S. release.
