Kia Marks Japan Debut with PBV ‘PV5’at Japan Mobility Show 2025.
– Kia enters the Japanese market with the PV5, targeting the fast-growing EV van demand driven by Japan’s carbon neutrality goals, and expanding its PBV business into a strategically important market
– Kia strengthens its position as a leading global EV brand with the PV5 Cargo Long-range model, offering an industry-leading driving range of up to 528 km
– ‘Kia PBV Japan’, established through a partnership with Sojitz Group, plans to launch 8 dealers and 100 service centers nationwide in its first year, with further expansion ahead, while collaborating with local charging partners to build a comprehensive charging network.
– Kia brand space highlights its ‘10 material solutions’, reflecting the brand’s vision as a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider
(Tokyo/Seoul) October 29, 2025 – Kia Corporation is making its entry into the Japanese automotive market by participating in the Japan Mobility Show 2025. At the event, held in Tokyo from October 29 to November 9, Kia will unveil its first PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) model, the PV5, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s global expansion strategy.
Kia’s participation in the Japan Mobility Show marks a bold new chapter for its PBV business, following the global unveiling of its PBV at the 2025 Kia EV Day. With sales already underway in Korea and Europe, Kia now sets its sights on Japan as the next strategic market for expansion.
Kia’s debut in Japan is backed by a strategic collaboration with Sojitz Group, a diversified Japanese corporation engaged in global businesses across automotive, infrastructure, energy, and consumer services.
Kia’s strategic partnership with Sojitz Group introduces a bold new vision for sustainable, user-centric mobility in Japan. As part of this collaboration, Kia has launched ‘Kia PBV Japan’, a Sojitz-run sales subsidiary that will oversee Kia’s PBV strategy in the Japanese market. Through the partnership with Sojitz, Kia aims to establish eight dealers and 100 service centers nationwide in its first year.
Sojitz and Kia share the common vision: mobility should go beyond transportation to help address social challenges and protect the planet. This shared belief laid the foundation for their partnership, aiming to accelerate Japan’s transition to a carbon-neutral society through Kia’s PBV innovations. The collaboration will also apply Kia’s proven PBV business model to establish a localized PBV ecosystem, collaborating closely with key Japanese partners and leading infrastructure development efforts.
Sangdae Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of PBV Division at Kia, said: “The PV5 is not just a vehicle — it is a mobility platform designed to meet the diverse needs of customers in Japan. Through our partnership with Sojitz Group, we aim to deliver meaningful solutions that support people, empower businesses, and strengthen local communities, supported by a robust foundation of sales, service, and charging infrastructure. Kia PBV is committed to growing together with Japan as a trusted partner — one listens, learns, and delivers lasting value."
Full flexibility to meet varied customer needs
As a global EV leader, Kia is entering the Japanese market with a focused PBV strategy that underscores the company’s long-term commitment to sustainable innovation.
At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, Kia is showcasing its first dedicated PBV model, the PV5, in a dedicated brand zone. The brand will present various PV5 variants tailored to meet the unique needs of the Japanese market, which is currently facing social challenges such as an aging population, labor shortages, regional depopulation, and logistics strain.
The PV5 embodies innovation across three key dimensions – hardware, software, and manufacturing – enabling Kia to deliver versatile, efficient, and future-ready mobility solutions that address these pressing challenges.
Kia PBV models tailored for the Japanese market include the PV5 Cargo model, which integrates a range of features, including:
- Versatile storage for ultimate in-car flexibility
- A compact 5.5-meter turning radius, making it highly practical for delivery services and small businesses operating in Japan’s narrow city streets
