When Kia pitched its new PV5 concept van with the promise it would be launched in 2025, the camper van community sat up and took notice. The South Korean company’s acknowledged expertise in EVs, combined with its exceptional, unsentimental and progressive design values, indicated that the PV5 could be the solid basis of a new generation of all-electric camper vans.
Kia EV9 ADVNTR concept and PV5 WKNDR concept
To stoke further excitement, Kia took to the halls at the 2024 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas with two bespoke concept cars, the EV9 ADVNTR and PV5 WKNDR. Apart from the rather passé absence of vowels, the two concepts showcase how the company’s current SUV flagship and future commercial star could become electrified lifestyle vehicles.
Kia EV9 ADVNTR concept
First up, the ADVNTR. The Kia EV9 is handsome, spacious and competent, and in the hands of the team at Kia Design Center America (KDCA) in Irvine, California, this three-row SUV has been given added powers in the form of 3-inch raised suspension, way more rugged tyres and wheels and a new roof platform. The last follows the current trend for car-top camping – combined with the relative simplicity of the other mods, it implies the ADVNTR would be easy to put into production.
Kia EV9 ADVNTR concept and PV5 WKNDR concept
The PV5 WKDNR is a much more spatially sophisticated machine. The PV5 was released as part of Kia’s new generation PBVs (Purpose Beyond Vehicles), first shown earlier this year at CES 2024. While delivery and small businesses are the primary target market for these zero-emission, multi-purpose vans, there’s no such thing as a commercial vehicle that couldn’t be converted into a camper.
Inside the Kia PV5 WKNDR concept
KDCA describes its WKNDR proposal as a ‘Swiss Army Knife on wheels’, with an integrated modular storage system, the ‘Gear Head’, that sits in your garage to keep all your kit organised when not needed on board. It’s a camper’s dream, with different elements like a mobile pantry and kitchen, off-roading tools and storage components that be added and removed as needed. A built-in compressor can do everything from inflate mattresses to adjusting the tyre pressures.
The Kia PV5 WKNDR concept and 'Gear Head' storage system
Kia is already well advanced with providing Vehicle to Load (V2L) technology, with a standard electric socket on board that enables to power appliances from the car’s battery pack, from vacuum cleaners to portable audio. The WKNDR aims to be even more self-sufficient, with onboard solar panels and the rather more conceptual ‘hydro turbine wheels’ that are store energy for recharging the batteries.
Inside the Kia PV5 WKNDR concept's modular interior
COO & EVP of Kia America Steven Center was on hand to reveal the vehicles to visitors at SEMA. ‘Our vehicles already help people live their active and adventurous lifestyles and it was fun to see just how far we could go with these latest concepts,’ he said, ‘The SEMA Show acts as a blank canvas for creativity and offers a glimpse into what Kia’s automotive future may hold.’
Kia PV5 WKNDR concept
Kia EV9 ADVNTR and PV5 WKNDR, concept only, Kia.com
Kia PV5 WKNDR concept
-
Cambridge Audio's new earbuds offer premium performance without denting your pocketThe Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 earbuds demonstrate just how far affordable audio tech has come in the last decade
-
A European-style café opens next to London’s Saatchi GalleryDesigned by Dion & Arles, Cafe Linea serves fresh pâtisseries, global dishes and sparkling wines in a stunning Grade II-listed setting
-
Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar VistaIn Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
-
A mighty concept coupé from Mercedes-AMG rewrites the electric performance car rulebookThe Mercedes-AMG Concept AMG GT XX is a four-door coupé that explores new approaches to battery tech, brake cooling and aerodynamics. As a sign of things to come, it can’t be ignored
-
Waymo brings more self-driving cars to California – with sights set on New YorkIf you live on the eastside of LA, you can now catch a Waymo to work
-
Slate is an ultra-simple EV truck intended as an affordable and customisable workhorseSlate designer Tisha Johnson discusses her role at the US electric truck start-up, a company that wants its customers to have complete freedom of expression
-
We drive the World and UK Car of the Year, the all-electric Kia EV3The new Kia EV3 is an EV for the masses that doesn’t skimp on design detail, features and overall functional elegance
-
The Peugeot E-5008 is an adept but ostentatious take on the all-electric SUVPeugeot has swapped its seductive design language for something shoutier and less discrete as it attempts to conquer the electric SUV segment with the new E-5008
-
The Micra (finally) goes electric as Nissan ramps up its range of EVsThe compact Nissan Micra was once a global bestseller. After getting an early head start on electric mobility, the Japanese giant is looking to a new version of its small car to recharge its status
-
Mika Cars wants to build the Mino, a sporty, ultra-compact electric two-seater for the open roadAn evolution of Mika’s Meon electric beach buggy, the little Mino is an ultra-light EV with big-car aspirations
-
Our pick of the reveals at the 2025 New York Auto Show, from concept SUVs to new EVsInterest in overseas brands remained strong at this year’s NY Auto Show despite the threat of tariffs designed to boost American-owned brands
