• Kia enters the Japanese market with the PV5, targeting the fast-growing EV van demand driven by Japan’s carbon neutrality goals, and expanding its PBV business into a strategically important market
• Kia strengthens its position as a leading global EV brand with the PV5 Cargo Long-range model, offering an industry-leading driving range of up to 528 km
• ‘Kia PBV Japan’, established through a partnership with Sojitz Group, plans to launch 8 dealers and 100 service centers nationwide in its first year, with further expansion ahead, while collaborating with local charging partners to build a comprehensive charging network.
• Kia brand space highlights its ‘10 material solutions’, reflecting the brand’s vision as a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider

Kia Corporation is making its entry into the Japanese automotive market by participating in the Japan Mobility Show 2025. At the event, held in Tokyo from October 29 to November 9, Kia will unveil its first PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) model, the PV5, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s global expansion strategy.

Kia’s participation in the Japan Mobility Show marks a bold new chapter for its PBV business, following the global unveiling of its PBV at the 2025 Kia EV Day. With sales already underway in Korea and Europe, Kia now sets its sights on Japan as the next strategic market for expansion.

Kia’s debut in Japan is backed by a strategic collaboration with Sojitz Group, a diversified Japanese corporation engaged in global businesses across automotive, infrastructure, energy, and consumer services.

Kia’s strategic partnership with Sojitz Group introduces a bold new vision for sustainable, user-centric mobility in Japan. As part of this collaboration, Kia has launched ‘Kia PBV Japan’, a Sojitz-run sales subsidiary that will oversee Kia’s PBV strategy in the Japanese market. Through the partnership with Sojitz, Kia aims to establish eight dealers and 100 service centers nationwide in its first year.

Sojitz and Kia share the common vision: mobility should go beyond transportation to help address social challenges and protect the planet. This shared belief laid the foundation for their partnership, aiming to accelerate Japan’s transition to a carbon-neutral society through Kia's PBV innovations. The collaboration will also apply Kia’s proven PBV business model to establish a localized PBV ecosystem, collaborating closely with key Japanese partners and leading infrastructure development efforts.

Sangdae Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of PBV Division at Kia, said: “The PV5 is not just a vehicle -- it is a mobility platform designed to meet the diverse needs of customers in Japan. Through our partnership with Sojitz Group, we aim to deliver meaningful solutions that support people, empower businesses, and strengthen local communities, supported by a robust foundation of sales, service, and charging infrastructure. Kia PBV is committed to growing together with Japan as a trusted partner -- one listens, learns, and delivers lasting value." 

Full flexibility to meet varied customer needs 

As a global EV leader, Kia is entering the Japanese market with a focused PBV strategy that underscores the company’s long-term commitment to sustainable innovation. 

At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, Kia is showcasing its first dedicated PBV model, the PV5, in a dedicated brand zone. The brand will present various PV5 variants tailored to meet the unique needs of the Japanese market, which is currently facing social challenges such as an aging population, labor shortages, regional depopulation, and logistics strain.

The PV5 embodies innovation across three key dimensions – hardware, software, and manufacturing – enabling Kia to deliver versatile, efficient, and future-ready mobility solutions that address these pressing challenges.

Kia PBV models tailored for the Japanese market include the PV5 Cargo model, which integrates a range of features, including:

• Versatile storage for ultimate in-car flexibility
• A compact 5.5-meter turning radius, making it highly practical for delivery services and small businesses operating in Japan’s narrow city streets
• Efficient driving with range of up to 528 km (WLTC with 71.2 kWh battery), supporting everyday mobility with fewer charging stops_^[1]
• Generous load capacity to support logistics and retail operations
• Dual-swing tailgate, making loading and unloading easier in tight parking spaces
• PBV-dedicated 12.9-inch infotainment system, leveraging Fleet Management System (FMS) for seamless business operations via app connectivity and OTA updates
• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems to further enhance safety and efficiency in urban environments

The PV5 Passenger model is designed with everyday mobility in mind and features thoughtful design touches to make life with the vehicle easier for users. These include:

• Low 399 mm step height and wide door openings to provide safe and comfortable access for all passengers – particularly older people, supporting community transport services as well as family use
• Long range of up to 521 km (WLTC with 71.2 kWh battery), enabling more convenient driving for long-distance journeys_^[2]
• Flexible Fold seating system, allowing the cabin to be configured for passengers or cargo
• Kia AddGear modular system, enabling customization for lifestyle needs, from mobility aids to leisure equipment
• Exterior and interior V2L power supply, which make the Kia PV5 well suited to Japan’s adventurous camping and leisure culture, allowing users to power devices directly from the vehicle

Kia’s PV5 WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) has been developed with input from mobility-impaired users and features:

• A gently sloped side-entry ramp and low floor for improved accessibility
• Universal securing systems for safe transport of wheelchair users

The PV5 WAV directly addresses the increasing demand for accessible full-electric transport, ensuring that older or mobility-impaired users can continue to enjoy sustainable and flexible transport.

Dedicated platform and ambitious future model growth strategy

Kia’s PV5 is built on the dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service (E-GMP.S). Thanks to the vehicle’s Flexible Body System, Kia’s PV5 can be configured in up to 16 different variants., offering exceptional versatility. This innovation is enabled by Kia’s eco-friendly PBV EVO Plant, which utilizes a hybrid manufacturing system that combines the adaptability of cell-based production with the efficiency of a conveyor system. Together, these technologies reflect Kia’s long-term commitment to scalable, software-defined electric mobility for a sustainable future.

With the company’s entry into the Japanese market, Kia’s brand zone has been designed to reinforce trust among Japanese customers by showcasing Kia’s global leadership in electrification and communicating its brand vision as a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider. 

The brand zone also highlights 10 material solutions, the Kia AddGear platform, and an exterior color chip wall, allowing visitors to experience Kia’s approach to design, customization, and sustainable innovation.

Kia’s PV5 variants, including Passenger and Cargo models, are scheduled to go on sale in Japan starting in the first half of 2026. Mass production of the initial PV5 Passenger and PV5 Cargo Long models commenced this summer, with additional variants set to follow. Kia plans to expand its PBV lineup, with the introduction of PV7 in 2027, offering larger models to meet a broader range of business and lifestyle needs.