The Kia PV5 is the electric van that came from nowhere and won everything. International Van of the Year. What Van? Van of the Year. Parker’s Van of the Year. A perfect 10/10 from What Van? — the only electric van to achieve that score. It’s also brilliant to convert into a campervan. We’re excited to reveal that we have now added the Kia PV5 conversion to our range of electric campervans.
Why does it make such a great electric campervan conversion? A wider load-space than the ID Buzz, a dramatically lower price, built-in Vehicle-to-Load power, and that seven-year Kia warranty. The PV5 gives you more space and more capability for significantly less money — and it’s fully electric. Zero emissions, zero fossil fuels, zero compromise on capability.
Why Choose the Kia PV5 for an Electric Campervan Conversion?
Wider Interior Than the ID Buzz: More Living Space for Camping
The PV5 Cargo is wider inside than the ID Buzz — 1,565mm versus 1,230mm. That’s over 300mm of extra width, which translates directly into a more comfortable double bed and more room to move around. The loadspace height is taller too, at 1,520mm compared to the Buzz’s 1,279mm.
In a compact campervan, those extra centimetres make a real difference to how it feels to live in.
The Most Affordable Electric Campervan Base in the UK
Here’s what gets us excited: the PV5 is a brand new, fully electric van with a seven-year warranty — and it’s the most affordable electric campervan base we convert.
Until now, a new, fully electric campervan has required a significant budget. The PV5 changes that. It makes a zero-emission, handcrafted electric campervan accessible to more people — and that feels like something worth celebrating.
Purpose-Built Electric Van: No Diesel, No Compromise
The PV5 isn’t a diesel van with batteries bolted in. Kia designed it from a blank sheet specifically as an electric vehicle, on their dedicated E-GMP.S platform. The result is a remarkably well-packaged van.
V2L (Vehicle-to-Load): Power Camping Appliances From the Van Battery
The PV5 has something the ID Buzz doesn’t: built-in V2L capability at up to 3.68kW. In plain English, this means the van’s drive battery can power regular appliances through a standard plug socket .
Think of it as an external hook-up you carry with you. We still fit a separate leisure battery system in our conversions (more on that below), but V2L gives you useful extra flexibility.
Award-Winning and Warranty-Backed
The PV5 comes with Kia’s seven-year / 100,000-mile warranty, plus an eight-year battery warranty.
Great to Drive
Despite being a van, the PV5 drives more like a car. The skateboard battery pack keeps the centre of gravity low, and reviewers consistently praise how composed and refined it feels: nimble in town, stable on motorways, and genuinely pleasant to spend time in.
Designs for the Kia PV5
We convert the Kia PV5 Cargo (L2/H1) — the panel van version with the larger 71.2kWh battery. We don’t convert the PV5 Passenger or the smaller battery version.
E-Chamonix
Double slat bed with induction cooking
From £20,399 inc VAT
Our E-Chamonix design adapted for the PV5’s wider loadspace. The extra width compared to the ID Buzz means a more generous double bed and a roomier kitchen area.
E-Chamonix includes:
- Double slat bed (2-berth)
- 2 belted seats (front)
- Hand-built wooden furniture in your choice of finish
- Solid wood worktops and removable table
- Natural fibre insulation and carpet lining
- Luxury upholstery in your choice of fabric
- Blackout curtains in your choice of colour
- Vinyl flooring in your choice of style
- Leisure battery and battery-to-battery charging system
- USB/USB-C and 240V sockets
- LED lighting throughout
- Water tank and stainless steel sink
- Fridge
- Induction hob
Optional extras: Solar panels, windows, portaloo
Fully Electric Campervan: No Diesel, No Gas, Zero Fossil Fuels
One thing we’re proud of with the Kia PV5 conversion: it’s fully electric from front to back. The van runs on battery power. The cooking is induction. The heating options are all electric. There’s no gas bottle, no diesel tank, no fossil fuels of any kind. For customers who want to camp as cleanly as they drive, the PV5 makes that straightforward.
Our PV5 conversions include a proper independent leisure battery system — just like our ID Buzz and e-Scudo builds. This powers your campervan electrics: lights, USB sockets, fridge, water pump, and everything else you need day-to-day.
The PV5’s built-in V2L capability then sits alongside this as a useful bonus. It means you can run anything with a three-pin plug, including higher-draw appliances like an induction hob or a portable heater, directly from the van’s 71.2kWh drive battery if necessary.
We think this is the right approach: a dedicated leisure system for the everyday essentials, with V2L available when you need a bit more power. You get the reliability of a proven campervan electrical setup with the flexibility of the PV5’s built-in technology.
Electric Campervan Heating: How the Kia PV5 Conversion Keeps You Warm
Here’s something important to understand about the PV5: like the ID Buzz, we cannot install gas heating.
The PV5 is built on what is called a “skateboard platform” with the battery pack spanning the underfloor area. This doesn’t leave the safe access points needed for gas pipework and heater installation. This is the same constraint as the ID Buzz, and for the same reason.
How PV5 campervan owners stay warm:
- V2L electric heating — The Kia PV5 has an advantage here over the Buzz. You can plug a small fan heater directly into the V2L socket and run it from the drive battery. A 2kW heater running for a few hours uses roughly 4-6kWh — that’s around 15-20 miles of range. For an evening’s warmth at a campsite or on a weekend trip, that’s a practical trade-off. It isn’t going to be something you can leave on all night or use for longer term off-grid winter camping, but it is a good option.
- Vehicle heating — The Kia PV5’s built-in climate system can warm the cabin effectively. A 10-15 minute blast before bed makes a big difference.
- Campsite hook-up — When connected to mains power, you can use a portable electric heater without touching your drive battery at all.
- 12V electric blankets — Drawing just 3-5 amps from the leisure battery, these keep you cosy in bed all night.
- Quality insulation — We install Thermafleece natural insulation in all our conversions. Good insulation is your first line of defence against the cold.
Is this a dealbreaker? For year-round off-grid winter camping, the Fiat e-Scudo with gas heating is the better choice — we’ll always be honest about that. For three-season camping and campsite-based trips, the PV5’s combination of V2L heating, vehicle climate system, and good insulation works well. The V2L option gives PV5 owners more heating flexibility than ID Buzz owners have.
PV5 Pop-Top Roof: Current Status (2026)
Currently, there is no pop-top roof option for our Kia PV5 conversion. The van is new to market and roof manufacturers haven’t yet developed products for this platform.
The Kia PV5’s H2 (high roof) variant is also expected later in 2026, which would offer increased headroom without a pop-top.
If standing room and a roof bed are essential to you, consider the ID Buzz conversion with Horizon pop-top, or the e-Scudo or Transit Custom PHEV with their established roof options.
We’ll update this page as pop-top options become available.
Handcrafted Kia PV5 Campervan Conversion: What Makes Sunbox Different
At Sunbox Campers, we build beautiful campervans by hand — more atelier than factory. Every Kia PV5 conversion is crafted by skilled joiners at our East Sussex workshop using sustainable materials.
Handcrafted Interiors
Our vans feature hand-built wooden furniture throughout. No flat-pack, no shortcuts. Skilled carpenters create solid wood worktops, cabinets, and tables that are built to last and lovely to live with.
Sustainable Materials
We use FSC-certified wood, Thermafleece natural insulation (sheep’s wool for superior thermal and acoustic performance), and quality fabrics including Chieftain Earthly (100% recycled) for customers who want them.
Your Personal Touch
Every conversion includes choices that make it yours:
- Flooring: Style and colour from our Polyflor range
- Upholstery: Fabric from our curated selection
- Wood finish: Multiple stain and treatment options
- Interior lining: Carpet or wood in various colours
- Curtains: Blackout curtains in your choice of colour
Kia PV5 Campervan Specifications
| Feature | Kia PV5 Cargo (L2/H1) |
| Battery | 71.2kWh |
| WLTP range | Up to 258 miles |
| Real-world range | 150–200 miles |
| Rapid charge (10-80%) | ~30 minutes at 150kW |
| Loadspace width (max) | 1,565mm |
| Loadspace width (wheel arches) | 920mm at narrowest |
| Loadspace height | 1,520mm |
| Overall length | 4,695mm |
| Belted seats | 2 (front) |
| Sleeping berths | 2 |
| Gas heating | Not available |
| V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) | Yes — up to 3.68kW |
| Pop-top roof | Not currently available |
| Warranty | 7-year / 100,000-mile vehicle, 8-year battery |
PV5 vs ID Buzz vs e-Scudo: Which Electric Campervan Is Right for You?
| Kia PV5 Cargo | VW ID Buzz Cargo | Fiat e-Scudo | |
| New base vehicle from | ~£23,465* | ~£38,340 | ~£33,000 |
| Used base vehicle from | TBC (very new to market) | ~£27,600 | ~£22,000 |
| Real-world range | 150–200 miles | 180–230 miles | 170–180 miles |
| Loadspace width | 1,565mm | 1,230mm | 1,628mm |
| Gas heating | No | No | Yes |
| V2L | Yes | No | No |
| Pop-top roof | Not yet | Yes (Horizon) | Yes |
| Vehicle warranty | 7 years | 2 years | 2 years |
*After Plug-in Van Grant
Each van has genuine strengths. The ID Buzz has the best range and iconic design. The e-Scudo has gas heating and the widest interior. The PV5 offers the best value, longest warranty, and V2L capability. We’re happy to talk through which one suits your situation — there’s no hard sell.
View our VW ID Buzz conversions.
View our Fiat e-Scudo conversions.
How to Buy a Kia PV5 for Campervan Conversion
The PV5 is available through Kia’s new PBV Centre dealer network — currently around 61 locations across the UK.
We can source a van for you or advise on the right specification for conversion and what to look for.
New vehicles: The PV5 Cargo L2/H1 with 71.2kWh battery starts from around £28,465 + VAT before the Plug-in Van Grant. After the £5,000 grant, that’s around £23,465 + VAT (£28,158 inc VAT).
Used vehicles: The PV5 is very new to the UK market, so the used market hasn’t established itself yet. As ex-fleet and early examples begin to appear, we expect used PV5 Cargo vans to offer excellent value. We’ll update this section as the used market develops.
What to look for:
- Cargo version (L2/H1) — this is what we convert
- 71.2kWh battery (Long Range) — the smaller battery doesn’t give enough range for campervan use
- Full service history
- Battery health report
Warranty and Aftercare
Conversion warranty:
- 24-month warranty on our conversion (workmanship and installed components)
Vehicle warranties:
- 7-year / 100,000-mile warranty from Kia on the vehicle
- 8-year battery warranty — Kia guarantees the battery retains capacity. This is among the best battery warranties in the industry.
What you can expect from us:
- Comprehensive handover with full walkthrough of all systems
- Ongoing support — we’re here to help long after your van leaves our workshop
The PV5 Campervan Conversion Process
1. Consultation
We discuss your needs, budget, and how you’ll use the camper. This helps us recommend the right specification and options for your situation.
2. Base Vehicle
Either you source your PV5 through a Kia PBV Centre, or we can advise on what to look for and help guide the process.
3. Design Choices
You select your flooring, upholstery, wood finish, lining, and curtains from our range of options. This is where your campervan starts to feel like yours.
4. Build
Our skilled craftspeople convert your van at our Newhaven workshop. Build time depends on specification and current order book — we’ll give you realistic timelines from the start.
5. Handover
Comprehensive walkthrough of all systems and the keys to your new campervan.
Kia PV5 Conversion: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a complete PV5 campervan cost?
E-Chamonix conversion starts from £20,399 inc VAT. Base vehicles start from around £23,465 (new, after Plug-in Van Grant). The conversion price and base vehicle price are separate — see the Vehicle Sourcing section for current base vehicle pricing.
Can you install gas heating in the PV5?
No — the skateboard battery platform doesn’t allow safe gas installation. PV5 owners use V2L electric heating, the vehicle’s climate system, campsite hook-up, and 12V electric blankets. The V2L capability gives more heating flexibility than the ID Buzz.
Is the PV5 as good as the ID Buzz?
They’re different vans with different strengths. The PV5 is wider, cheaper, has a longer warranty and V2L. The ID Buzz has better range, iconic styling, and an available pop-top roof. Neither is objectively “better” — it depends on what matters most to you.
What about the pop-top roof?
Not currently available for the PV5. We expect aftermarket options to develop as the van establishes itself. We’ll update this page when options become available.
Can I use V2L to power everything in the campervan?
V2L is a useful supplement but we don’t recommend relying on it as your only power source. Our conversions include a proper independent leisure battery system for the everyday essentials. V2L is there for higher-draw items and extra flexibility.
What’s the real-world range?
Expect 150–200 miles depending on driving style, speed, weather, and load. Autocar recorded 154 miles in touring conditions; you’ll get closer to 200 if you stay off motorways. The official WLTP figure is 258 miles.
How long does a conversion take?
Build time depends on specification and our current order book. We’ll give you realistic timelines during consultation — typically several weeks from vehicle arrival to handover.
Do you convert the PV5 Passenger version?
No — we convert the PV5 Cargo (L2/H1) only. The Cargo version gives us a blank canvas to work with and the best layout options.
What about the wheel arch intrusions?
The PV5 has an unusual loadspace shape with deeper wheel arch intrusions than traditional vans. Our furniture designs can account for this, it’s something we’ve worked around in the design process in multiple vans.
Interested in a Kia PV5 Campervan Conversion?
We’d love to hear from you! Please drop us an email or give us a call to organise a consultation.
Email: hello@sunboxcampers.co.uk
Phone: 07973 687950
Our workshop is in Newhaven, East Sussex. We’re easy to reach from London and the South East, with customers coming from across the UK. You’re welcome to visit our workshop to see completed conversions and discuss your project in person or over a video call.