Kia PV5: The $30,000 Electric Truck That Could Change Everything

A major automaker just built a compact electric work truck with an 8-foot bed, a $30,000 price tag, and payload numbers that embarrass half the gas-powered compact trucks in North America. The Kia PV5 Open Bed is not a concept render or a "maybe next year" promise — it went on sale in South Korea in January 2026, and it is heading to more markets fast.

If you have been following the kei truck movement in the US and wondering when a major manufacturer would build something in the same spirit — small, practical, affordable, work-first — this is the closest answer yet.

What the PV5 Actually Is

The PV5 is Kia's modular electric platform vehicle, built on Hyundai's E-GMP.S skateboard architecture. Think of it as a commercial LEGO set: one platform supports up to 17 different body configurations, from enclosed cargo vans and passenger shuttles to chassis cabs, refrigerated trucks, and — the one that matters here — an open-bed pickup.

The Open Bed variant launched in Korea on January 30, 2026, joining the Cargo and Passenger versions that have been on sale since mid-2025. Kia already picked up the 2026 International Van of the Year award for the platform — the first Korean vehicle to ever win it.

Power comes from a front-mounted permanent magnet motor driving the front wheels. The standard battery (51.5 kWh NMC) makes 120 bhp, while the long-range option (71.2 kWh) bumps output to 163 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. This is not a drag racer — top speed is electronically limited to 84 mph — but it is purpose-built for hauling, not highway pulls.

The Bed Changes the Math

Here is where the PV5 gets interesting for anyone who has compared a kei truck to a full-size pickup and wished there was something in between.

The Open Bed measures 2,420 mm (just under 8 feet) long by 1,750 mm wide. That is a flat, rectangular loading surface with no wheel arch intrusions — similar to what makes kei truck beds so useful, just scaled up. All three sides fold down for access from the rear or either side, exactly like the drop-down gates on a Suzuki Carry or Daihatsu Hijet.

For context, the Ford Maverick's bed is 4.5 feet long. The PV5's bed is nearly double that. The overall truck is actually slightly shorter than the Maverick (198.4 inches vs 199.8 inches) — it just dedicates far more of its footprint to actual cargo space because there is no rear passenger cabin.

Payload on the Chassis Cab variant tops out at 1,005 kg (2,215 lbs). The Open Bed figure has not been officially published yet, but even the enclosed Cargo version with the smaller battery handles 790 kg (1,741 lbs). For comparison, many North American compact trucks with gas engines struggle to break 1,500 lbs of payload. The PV5 does more with less vehicle.

Towing is rated at 750 kg (1,650 lbs) braked — not class-leading, but competitive with what you would get from a compact unibody truck. Enough for a small utility trailer, a pair of ATVs, or a load of landscaping materials.

Range and Charging: The Work Truck Math

Two battery options for the Open Bed:

• Standard (51.5 kWh): 250 km (~155 miles) combined range
• Long Range (71.2 kWh): 330 km (~205 miles) combined range

Those numbers are Korean combined cycle, not EPA, so expect real-world results to land somewhere in the same neighborhood depending on load and conditions. DC fast charging at up to 150 kW gets you from 10-80% in roughly 30 minutes. AC charging on an 11 kW home charger takes about 5 hours for the standard battery or 6.5 hours for the long-range.

For property work, farm runs, and local commercial use — the same duty cycle where kei trucks excel — 155 miles of range is more than enough. Most kei truck owners put 20-40 miles on their trucks in a typical work day. The PV5 handles that with charge to spare and zero fuel cost.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability lets you run power tools, work lights, or electronics directly from the truck's battery — a genuine feature for jobsite and property use. V2L comes standard on the Plus trim, though availability varies by market on the base trim.

The Price Nobody Expected

The Open Bed starts at approximately 43.45 million won in Korea — roughly $30,000 USD before any subsidies. The long-range version runs about $32,000. With Korean government EV subsidies, the effective price drops to around $20,800.

Standard equipment across all trims includes a 12.9-inch Android Automotive OS touchscreen, a digital gauge cluster, and a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems: forward collision avoidance, lane-following assist, smart cruise control with stop-and-go, and parking sensors front and rear. That is a lot of tech for a $30K work truck.

European pricing is significantly higher — UK models start around £31,495 for the Passenger variant — but the Korean pricing signals where Kia wants to position this globally: affordable enough to compete with gas-powered compact trucks on sticker price alone, before you factor in fuel and maintenance savings.

The North American Question

This is where it gets complicated. The PV5 is confirmed for Canada, with the Cargo version expected in late 2026. Canada does not impose the 25% "chicken tax" tariff on imported commercial vehicles, which makes the economics work for Kia.

The US is a different story. PV5 prototypes have been spotted testing in Michigan with US-spec marker lights multiple times, and Automotive News reports a possible US launch in the second half of 2027. But Kia's official position remains noncommittal — the 25% import tariff on commercial vehicles built in Korea is a significant barrier, and the current trade policy environment adds more uncertainty.

If the PV5 does arrive in the US at anything close to its Korean pricing, it would undercut every electric truck on the market by a wide margin. The base Ford Lightning starts north of $50,000. The Rivian R1T is over $70,000. Even adjusting for tariffs and US-market compliance costs, a PV5 Open Bed in the low-to-mid $30,000s would be a genuine disruption.

Where This Fits

The PV5 is not a kei truck. It is bigger, heavier, and more powerful than anything in the 660cc Japanese micro-truck class. But it shares the same design philosophy: build the smallest, most efficient vehicle that gets the job done, and strip out everything that does not serve the work.

For anyone who loves what kei trucks represent — practical, affordable, right-sized utility — but needs something street-legal in all 50 states with modern safety equipment and a warranty from a major manufacturer, the PV5 is the most interesting development in years. The compact truck category has been stuck in a rut of vehicles that keep getting bigger, more expensive, and more loaded with features nobody asked for. The PV5 goes the other direction.

Whether Kia brings the Open Bed to North America — and at what price — remains the open question. If you are in Canada, the wait might be short. If you are in the US, the import landscape and tariff situation will determine if and when this truck crosses the border. Either way, a $30,000 electric pickup with an 8-foot bed and 2,200+ lbs of payload is no longer hypothetical. It exists, it is selling, and the compact truck market will have to respond.

Keep an eye on our state-by-state registration guides for updates on EV truck regulations, and browse our dealer directory if you are shopping for a compact work truck today.