Kia supplies customized PBV to Korea Post for mail delivery

Kia said Friday it will supply Korea Post with the Kia PV5 Cargo, a customized purpose-built vehicle (PBV) designed around the demands of mail collection and delivery work. The company will deploy a total of 200 units in stages to post offices nationwide starting this month.

The PV5 Cargo supplied to Korea Post is built on E-GMP.S, Kia's dedicated electrification platform for PBVs.

Its low-floor design reduces physical strain on drivers who get in and out of the vehicle dozens of times a day. Advanced driver assistance systems also help create a safer, more convenient work environment.

To maximize the PV5 Cargo's usability, Kia ran a roughly two-month field trial with actual users from September to November 2025.

Kia deployed the PV5 Cargo at hub post offices under nine regional postal offices nationwide, holding on-site briefings for vehicle managers and users. The company also put the vehicle through real mail delivery operations to assess its suitability for the job. Kia then incorporated the feedback gathered from the field into the vehicle's development.

For instance, Kia worked with a PBV conversion partner to apply delivery-tailored loading solutions based on suggestions from postal workers about loading and unloading mail during the trial. These solutions include measures to prevent door damage, an aluminum cargo floor and a flattened cargo bed, making it easier to load and move mail.

Kia does not plan to stop at supplying vehicles. The company intends to support every area Korea Post needs for its shift to electrification, including EV training for vehicle operation managers as well as customized charging and maintenance solutions.

"This supply goes beyond simply providing vehicles — it actively reflects feedback from postal workers on the ground to create a PBV that truly fits the job," an official from Kia's domestic business division said. "Going forward, Kia plans to keep supporting improvements to work environments in public services and the shift to electrification with PBVs tailored to customers' work characteristics," the official added.

Starting with the PV5 Passenger and Cargo models, Kia is rolling out additional lineups in stages: an open bed, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV), a chassis cab donor model and Prime. The company is also expanding PBV-based cooperation with companies across various industries, such as Korea Electric Power Corporation, the Coupang Partners Association and Geo Young. This aims to offer customized mobility solutions optimized for customers' work needs.

Meanwhile, Kia offers 10 different lineups of the PV5, its purpose-built vehicle, tailored to customer needs. This month, the company is speeding up its push into the personalized mobility market with the launch of the PV7, a larger-bodied model.