If you’ve been looking at brand new electric campervans, you’ve probably noticed they don’t come cheap. The Kia PV5 changes that. Enter the Kia PV5 Campervan from Sunbox Campers.
It’s a brand new, fully electric van — zero diesel, zero petrol, zero fossil fuels — that costs significantly less than a used ID Buzz. It’s wider inside, comes with a seven-year warranty, and has built-in technology that lets you power appliances directly from the drive battery.
We’re now converting the Kia PV5 at our Newhaven workshop, and here’s what we think you should know about it.
View full Kia PV5 campervan conversion details and pricing →
What Is the Kia PV5 and Why Is It Being Converted Into a Campervan?
The Kia PV5 is Kia’s first electric van — and it’s not a half-hearted effort. Rather than taking an existing diesel van and fitting batteries (which is what most manufacturers have done), Kia designed the PV5 from scratch as an electric vehicle on a dedicated platform called E-GMP.S.
That clean-sheet approach shows. The floor is remarkably low (the step-in height is just 419mm), the loadspace is tall and wide, and the driving experience is closer to an electric car than a traditional van. Reviewers have been effusive — Top Gear praised how refined it feels, Autocar called it a true original, and What Van? gave it a perfect 10/10 score.
The van comes in Cargo (panel van) and Passenger (MPV) versions. For campervan conversion, we use the Cargo — specifically the L2/H1 model with the larger 71.2kWh battery.
The width is something that really caught our attention. At 1,565mm across the loadspace, the PV5 is 335mm wider than the ID Buzz.
Why the Kia PV5 Is a Great Electric Campervan Base
More interior width than any electric campervan in its class
This gives so many options, it is wider than many other vans in its class including the VW ID Buzz.
The most affordable fully electric campervan base in the UK
The Kia PV5 is the most affordable electric campervan base we convert. A brand new PV5 Cargo with the 71.2kWh battery and V2L starts from around £34,465 + VAT after the Plug-in Van Grant. Our E-Chamonix conversion starts from £20,399 inc VAT. That’s a brand new, fully electric van with top spec.
The Kia PV5 is a handcrafted, zero-emission campervan with a brand new base vehicle and the longest warranty in the business, at a price that brings more people into the electric campervan world. That’s exciting!
V2L: Power your camping appliances from the van’s battery
This is a feature worth understanding properly. V2L means the PV5’s main drive battery can power regular household appliances through a built-in plug socket — up to 3.68kW, which is roughly equivalent to a single campsite hook-up.
For campervan use, this is very useful. You can run an induction hob, plug in a fan heater on a chilly evening, or charge devices — all powered by the van’s 71.2kWh battery. It’s like carrying a campsite hook-up with you wherever you go.
We still also fit a proper independent leisure battery system in our PV5 conversions for the everyday essentials such as lights, USB, fridge, water pump. The V2L then works alongside this as a useful extra for higher-draw items.
View full Kia PV5 campervan conversion details and pricing →
Seven-year warranty: the longest in the electric campervan market
Seven years from Kia on the vehicle, eight years on the battery. That’s the longest vehicle warranty of any electric van we convert, by a significant margin.
The driving experience
We were surprised by how good the PV5 is to drive. Similar to the buzz, the low battery placement keeps the centre of gravity down, so it corners with minimal body roll. It’s quiet, smooth, and refined.
Electric campervan range: 150–200 miles real-world
The PV5’s 71.2kWh battery delivers a WLTP range of 258 miles, but real-world touring range is more like 150–200 miles depending on speed, weather, and load. This is comparable to the e-Scudo and it is perfectly respectable. But the ID Buzz, with its larger 79kWh battery and more efficient 800V-class charging architecture, has better range, and delivers 180–230 miles in the real world.
New to market so less flexibility on price
The Kia PV5 only arrived in the UK in late 2025. There’s no established used market yet. If you are looking for a used van it would be better to look at the ID Buzz or e-Scudo. (Both of which we convert.)
Who Should Choose a Kia PV5 Electric Campervan?
The PV5 makes the most sense if you:
- Want an electric campervan but can’t justify ID Buzz pricing. The PV5 makes electric camping accessible at a lower price point without feeling like a compromise.
- Value interior space. That extra width is noticeable from the moment you step inside. If you’ve sat in an ID Buzz and thought “this is a bit tight,” the PV5 will feel significantly more spacious.
- Like the idea of V2L. Being able to run an induction hob or plug in a heater directly from the drive battery adds genuine flexibility to how you use the van.
- Want a long vehicle warranty. Seven years on the vehicle and eight on the battery is hard to argue with.
Kia PV5 Campervan Conversion vs Vanlab Flat-Pack Kit: What’s the Difference?
You might have seen that Kia has partnered with a company called Vanlab to produce an official flat-pack camper kit for the PV5 Passenger. It’s a clever product — assemble-it-yourself furniture that creates a basic camping layout with a bed, table, and bench seating.
It’s a very different proposition to what we do. The Vanlab kit is a removable, lightweight system designed for occasional camping. Our conversions are permanent, fully insulated, handcrafted campervans with proper electrical systems, plumbing, cooking facilities, and the finish quality you’d expect from bespoke furniture.
Think of the Vanlab kit as camping gear that goes in a van. Think of our conversions as turning a van into a home.
Sunbox Kia PV5 Campervan Conversions: What’s Included in ours
We’re converting the PV5 Cargo (L2/H1, 71.2kWh) using our proven E-Chamonix design, adapted for the PV5’s wider loadspace.
Every conversion includes hand-built wooden furniture, Thermafleece natural insulation, a full kitchen with induction hob and fridge, a proper leisure battery system, and all the personalisation choices — flooring, upholstery, wood finish, curtains — that make it yours. The E-Chamonix starts from £20,399 inc VAT — the same conversion price as our ID Buzz E-Chamonix.
View full Kia PV5 campervan conversion details and pricing →
The Bottom Line
The Kia PV5 campervan doesn’t replace the ID Buzz or the e-Scudo in our range, it sits alongside them as a genuinely compelling alternative with its own distinct strengths.
Ready to Talk About a Kia PV5 Campervan
Get in touch to discuss your requirements, budget, and how you plan to use the van. We’re happy to talk through whether the PV5, the ID Buzz, or the e-Scudo is the right choice for your situation.