Kia PV5 Passenger electric people-mover approved for Australia

The 2026 Kia PV5 Passenger has moved a step closer to Australian showrooms, with federal approval documents confirming the incoming electric people-mover will launch here as a seven-seater powered by the larger 71.2kWh battery.

Due to arrive in Kia showrooms locally in the last quarter of 2026, pricing for the van-based wagon is expected to land between $60,000 and $70,000.

The new PV5 variant has been granted Vehicle Type Approval (VTA-066521), with its Road Vehicle Descriptor (RVD) listing a single ‘Long Range 7P’ version. The approval was issued on August 20.

The federal documents classify the PV5 Passenger – Kia’s global name for this model – as an M-category passenger vehicle and identify its body style as an AF MPV, rather than the commercial vehicle classification used by the PV5 Cargo that launched here mid-year.

It is priced from $55,990 plus on-road costs for the sole S Long Range model.

The single model listed in the RVD is a seven-seater with a 2200kg tare mass and 2750kg gross vehicle mass, while both braked and unbraked towing capacities are listed at 750kg.

The Passenger measures 4695mm long, 1895mm wide and 1899mm high, and rides on a 2995mm wheelbase, making its basic exterior dimensions identical to the standard-roof PV5 Cargo already sold in Australia.

Running clearance is listed at a relatively modest 143mm, while the approved wheel-and-tyre package comprises 16-inch rims with 215/65 R16 rubber.

The documents confirm the Long Range Passenger is an EV producing 120kW and using a 71.2kWh battery supplied by CATL.

Torque is not specified in the RVD, but the mechanically related Australian PV5 Cargo combines its 120kW motor and 71.2kWh battery with 250Nm and front-wheel drive. The Cargo has a claimed WLTP driving range of 416km.

Kia has yet to publish an Australian range figure for the Passenger, so it remains unclear whether the extra seats, interior trim and associated weight will reduce its official figure compared with the two-seat Cargo.

The Passenger’s 2200kg tare mass makes it 190kg heavier than the 2010kg PV5 Cargo.

The RVD also provides some clues about the Passenger’s equipment, listing air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, lane-following assistance and vehicle stability management as standard.

Driver, front-passenger, curtain and centre airbags are also listed as standard. Highway Driving Assist and power mirrors are classified as optional in the homologation documentation, although this does not necessarily reflect the final Australian retail specification.

The PV5 Passenger forms part of Kia’s new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) family and shares its dedicated E-GMP.S electric architecture with the Cargo.

The PV5 Cargo’s maximum DC charging rate is 128kW, enabling a claimed 10–80 per cent recharge in about 30 minutes.

The PV5 Cargo also offers vehicle-to-load capability and is equipped with a 7.5-inch digital instrument display and 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, although Kia Australia has not yet detailed the Passenger’s final equipment specification.

Unlike the Cargo’s two-seat cabin and rear load area, the Passenger uses the PV5’s boxy body to accommodate three rows of seats and seven occupants.

Kia has previously confirmed a high-roof Cargo will follow the standard Cargo and passenger wagon into Australia.

Kia is already Australia’s dominant people-mover player courtesy of the Carnival range, so the electric PV5 Passenger will add another potential buying option.

It also aids Kia’s campaign to protect itself from NVES CO2 reduction scheme penalties.

Now, we wait on pricing, driving range and final equipment, which should emerge closer to its showroom arrival later this year.

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