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(Seoul=Yonhap Infomax) Jae Heon Lee – Kia Corp. has achieved a major milestone as its all-new Kia PV5 secured the industry’s most prestigious accolade in the commercial vehicle sector.
Kia announced on the 20th that the PV5 was awarded the '2026 International Van of the Year' at Solutrans, the world’s leading commercial vehicle exhibition. This marks the first time in the 34-year history of the award that a Korean brand has won, and it is also the first for an Asian electric light commercial vehicle.
The decision was unanimous among all 26 members of the judging panel, who recognized the PV5 for its outstanding build quality and innovation in electrification technology. The PV5 outperformed strong global contenders in the light commercial vehicle market, including the Ford E-Transit, Volkswagen Crafter, and Parizon SV.
“Kia has long strived to lead innovation in electric vehicles, and the PV5 extends this commitment into the commercial vehicle segment,” said Song Ho-sung, President and CEO of Kia. “This award is especially meaningful as the PV5 is the result of manufacturing innovation, such as the ‘conveyor-cell’ hybrid production system that enables flexible, multi-model production.”
He added, “Being named ‘International Van of the Year’ at debut demonstrates Kia’s ability to redefine standards in the global light commercial vehicle market and to open the future of smart, sustainable mobility for business customers worldwide.”
The PV5 is Kia’s first dedicated electrified PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle), developed on the PBV-exclusive E-GMP.S (Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service). The mid-sized PBV integrates hardware designed to meet diverse customer needs with software solutions optimized for business environments.
jhlee2@yna.co.kr
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