Kia envisions a future the place one car platform will work laborious as a cargo hauler, then swap house for seats as a taxi earlier than altering but once more for a weekend trip within the woods. It’s known as the PV5, and it is one in all three modular ideas Kia is presenting at CES this yr. 

Technically, the automaker is rolling into Las Vegas with 5 ideas — three of them are PV5s. They all revolve round one thing known as Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) options. Basically, it is an all-in-one thought {that a} primary car platform can simply be reconfigured as wanted to carry out completely different features, whereas superior software program helps house owners and companies preserve observe of every thing. As you would possibly guess, it is introduced as a mobility answer largely for companies. But nothing is saying you’ll be able to’t ditch the passenger compartment module for a cargo field and toss the mountain bikes within the again.

Here’s the way it works: Kia presents the PV5 as a single platform beneath with a normal cockpit on the entrance. Being an electrical car, the entrance clip is raked sharply such as you’d discover in a van, solely there is no engine sitting between the motive force and passenger seat. The magic occurs behind the cockpit, the place massive body-sized modules could be put in relying on what that you must do. If it feels like a chassis cab, you are not mistaken. But not like a chassis cab, an upfitter does not weld on a made-to-order physique for the again. Instead, Kia gives “life modules” that connect by means of mechanical and electromagnetic means.

As such, a passenger life module could be put in, after which later swapped to a cargo module if one thing modifications. Kia highlights 5 completely different variations of the PV5, together with a primary cargo van, a special cargo van with low floor clearance, one other cargo van with a excessive roof, a taxi, and if none of these sound interesting to a purchaser, there’s the nice ol’ chassis cab prepared for a totally customized construct the quaint means.