Kia’s Slick New Campervan Option Could Be an Outdoor Game-Changer

Korea’s ID.Buzz challenger is getting a conversion that’s sure to make it a hit among the van life crowd.

Green camper van with black pop-up roof tent and black front hood parked in a grassy field.

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By Gray Van Dyke

Published March 3, 2026

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Updated March 3, 2026

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While the ID.Buzz would seem the obvious choice if you’re interested in an EV for van life, it’s hardly the only option of its kind. Over in Europe, Kia is challenging Volkswagen’s extensive microbus lineage with a modular electric offering of its own known as the PV5.

Even against a reigning incumbent of the van segment, the Korean is already proving a compelling alternative. Between its sleek design and respectable range, it’s made only better by a considerably more affordable price point.

Green and black Kia electric van driving on a wet road with a cloudy sky and brown hills in the background. — The PV5 is challenging the ID.Buzz and Volkswagen’s lengthy microbus history.

Now, a company has just made the PV5 even more of a threat to the ID.Buzz’s dominance through an innovative outdoor gamechanger.

Popping the top on the PV5

It’s the very first PV5 pop-top conversion, and it comes courtesy of Sussex Campervans, as discovered by NewAtlas. In partnership with Kia, the UK-based company has developed a unique option that carries the EV’s eco-conscious spirit forward.

Green and black camper van with pop-up roof and deer decal parked on grassy field near winding road. — Sussex Campervan’s pop-top conversion takes the PV5 to new heights.

In practice, this means the conversion makes heavy use of recycled materials, and Sussex has also designed it to minimize the removal of original parts so as to reduce overall waste during construction.

Now, at this stage, the company has only published some preliminary specs and opened interest inquiries, though it does seem to be delivering on its objectives. With a quoted height of 1,923mm (75.7 inches), the closed pop-top roof is set to add just 18mm to the PV5’s factory figure.

Spacious vehicle interior with rear seats folded flat to create extended cargo area. — Even with passenger seats, that’s a roomy van.

Moreover, while Sussex hasn’t offered up any interior shots just yet, the Kia is nevertheless poised to be plenty roomy for living accommodations.

Even with the rear seats up in passenger guise, the spacious PV5 offers roughly 47 cubic feet of storage. However, with the seats removed in Cargo configuration, that number swells to some 155 cubic feet — nearly 10 more than a comparable ID.Buzz.

Light blue compact electric van with black tinted windows and black wheel covers parked on a concrete driveway. — The PV5 offers a sleek look that doesn’t try to emulate the retro charm of its VW rival.

An ideal conversion candidate

To that end, there are a number of other characteristics of the electric Kia that make it an ideal option for van living.

For instance, because it’s a modular EV built on a skateboard platform — rather than an adapted internal combustion-powered van chassis — it’s very space-conscious, and it doesn’t devote any real estate to an engine bay.

Black Kia steering wheel with control buttons and digital dashboard inside a car. — Kia has made the interior a modern and screen-first experience.

Moreover, because of its construction, it brings a low floor height, so it’s more accessible to RVers and van lifers of all ages and abilities. Critically, this also allows for easier loading and unloading when you’re on the road.

In any case, while it’s far from a long-hauler with a maximum estimated range of 258 miles, Kia has managed to surpass that number through a record-setting 430-mile drive — and that came fully loaded.

Assuming that’s not enough juice for you, fast-charging from 10 to 80 percent takes just 30 minutes, and there’s always the option of outfitting the EV with solar panels. Kia’s already provided plenty of inspo material in the form of its high-riding PV5 WKNDR concept.

the kia pv5 wkndr ev camper van concept in the desert — The PV5 WKNDR offers a vision of what could be with a little imagination.

Whether this means we’ll eventually see such a rad adventure van only time will tell, but a factory-supported pop-up conversion certainly shows that Kia is serious about catering to the outdoor crowd.

Availability and pricing

If you’re in one of the PV5’s target markets and you’re interested in a Sussex Campervan conversion, you can learn more and register for inquiry on the outfit’s website. Prices are set to start from £68,995 ($92,000), which is roughly double that of Kia’s MSRP for the Long Range version.

Kia PV5 Campervan Conversion

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About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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