Kia’s PV5 is the electric van everyone’s asking us about. Quiet, roomy, built on a flat floor. So can you fit a Kia PV5 pop top roof and turn it into a proper camper?
Short answer: yes, you can. Two of the roof makers we’re accredited with already make one. Here’s what you need to know before you book, from fitters who’ve been putting roofs on vans in Manchester for over ten years.
🔑 Key takeaways
- A PV5 pop top is available now from two makers: Skyline (front or rear lifting) and Drivelodge (front lifting). We’re accredited fitters for both.
- The PV5 Cargo has up to 258 miles of official range and charges 10–80% in about 30 minutes on a rapid charger.
- Its 220V plug socket (V2L), standard on Plus models, is a real bonus for camping.
- An EV camper needs a different plan for weight, heating and leisure power. Get those right first.
- Every roof we fit carries a 5-year warranty. Roof parts take about 4 weeks to arrive.
5 YEARS
warranty on every roof
2
PV5 roof makers we fit
10+
years fitting roofs
What is the Kia PV5?
The PV5 is Kia’s first electric van. It isn’t a car with the seats taken out. It’s built from the ground up as a van, with the battery under a low, flat floor.
It comes as a Cargo van, a Crew van, a Chassis Cab and a five-seat Passenger MPV. For a camper, the Cargo and Passenger are the ones that matter.
| Kia PV5 | The figures |
|---|---|
| Body styles | Cargo (L1 and L2, standard or high roof), Crew, Chassis Cab, Passenger |
| Battery | 51.5 kWh standard range or 71.2 kWh long range |
| Official range (WLTP) | Cargo up to 258 miles. Passenger up to 256 miles (long range battery) |
| Charging | Up to 150 kW rapid: 10–80% in about 30 minutes. 11 kW at home or on AC |
| Size (Cargo L2, standard roof) | 4,695 mm long, 1,895 mm wide (without mirrors), 1,923 mm tall |
| Payload | Up to 800 kg (Cargo). Around 690 kg with the long range battery |
| Load space | Cargo L2: 4.4 m³. Passenger: 1,330 litres behind the seats, 3,615 litres folded |
| Plug socket (V2L) | 220V inside and outside, standard on Plus |
| UK price | Cargo from £27,355 + VAT. Passenger from £33,195 |
Source: Kia UK, Fleet World and Vans Direct, October 2026. Kia changes prices and specs, so check before you buy.
Is the Kia PV5 a good campervan base?
For the right person, yes. If you do weekends away, the Lakes, Snowdonia, the Peak District, it’s a brilliant base. If you want to drive to the south of Spain in two days, be honest with yourself about the range.
✅ The good
- Flat, low floor. Easier to lay out a bed and furniture.
- 220V socket built in on Plus models. Kettle, laptop, coffee machine.
- Silent and smooth. No diesel rattle on the motorway.
- No fuel bills if you charge at home.
- Two pop top roofs already made for it.
- 7-year / 100,000-mile Kia warranty.
❌ The not-so-good
- Range. Fine for UK weekends. Long trips need planning around chargers.
- Payload. The battery is heavy. Every kilo of conversion counts.
- Brand new. Fewer off-the-shelf furniture kits exist yet.
- Campsite hook-ups are slow. They’ll top you up, not fill you up.
- Heating needs thought. No diesel tank to run a heater from.
Can you fit a Kia PV5 pop top roof?
Yes. And you’ve got a choice, which is unusual for a van this new.
Skyline make a PV5 roof in front lifting and rear lifting versions, with a moulded fibreglass shell. Their rear lifting design keeps the cut-out in front of the van’s structural B pillar, so the strength of the body stays where it should be.
Drivelodge make a front lifting PV5 roof, with their 5-year warranty and UK-made canvas.
We’re accredited fitters for both. Not sure which suits you? Our Drivelodge vs Skyline guide walks through the differences. And if you want windows all round the roof, read about scenic canvas.
⚡ Did you know?
- High voltage lives in the floor. The PV5’s battery sits under the floor, with orange high-voltage cables. Anyone drilling or fixing into your van needs to know exactly where they run.
- Payload is your budget. Up to 800 kg sounds a lot. Roof, bed, furniture, leisure battery, two people, bikes and a weekend’s kit soon add up.
- The roof is part of the structure. Cutting the wrong place weakens the van. Use a roof designed for the PV5, fitted to the maker’s method.
- Weight and wind cost range. A camper will go less far on a charge than an empty van. Plan your trips with some slack.
Kia PV5 vs VW Transporter vs Ford Transit Custom as a camper
Most of the vans we convert are Transporters and Transit Customs. So how does the newcomer stack up?
| Kia PV5 | VW Transporter | Ford Transit Custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Electric only | Mostly diesel | Mostly diesel |
| Long trips | Plan around chargers | Fill up anywhere | Fill up anywhere |
| Running cost | Low if you charge at home | Diesel prices | Diesel prices |
| Pop top roofs | Skyline, Drivelodge | Wide choice | Wide choice |
| Furniture kits | Few yet, so bespoke | Huge choice | Good choice |
| Night heating | Needs its own plan | Diesel heater off the tank | Diesel heater off the tank |
| Built-in 220V | Yes (Plus) | No | No |
The PV5’s weak spot is the new-van problem: not many ready-made parts yet. That’s where we’re different. We do our own CAD design and CNC cutting in-house, so we can make the furniture and brackets a PV5 needs instead of waiting for someone else to.
The PV5 camper set-up we recommend
Keep it light. Keep it simple. Here’s the order we’d build it in.
- The pop top. Skyline or Drivelodge, with a roof bed. It’s the biggest decision, so everything else is planned around it. See our pop top roofs.
- Insulation and sound deadening. Dodo insulation and deadening. An EV is quiet, so you notice rattles and road noise more, not less.
- Victron leisure electrics. A separate leisure battery for lights, fridge and charging, so you never touch your driving range at night. 5-year warranty.
- The bed. A RIB bed downstairs, so the van seats and sleeps properly.
- Windows. Tinted fixed or sliding windows, plus Vanshades for privacy.
- An awning. A Fiamma awning for an outdoor room when it rains. This is Manchester, after all.
What about heating? Here’s the honest bit. In a diesel van, a diesel heater runs from the van’s own tank. A PV5 hasn’t got one. You could leave the van’s own heating on overnight, but that pulls from the driving battery, and that’s tomorrow’s range.
So heating is something we plan with you at the quote stage, not an afterthought. We fit Autoterm Air 2D heaters, and we’ll talk you through the options for an electric van.
An electric van makes a brilliant camper. Plan it like a diesel and it’ll let you down.
💡 Fitter’s tip
Buying a PV5 for camping? Go for the Plus with the long range battery. You get the 220V socket as standard and the extra miles. Just remember the long range version carries a little less payload, so ask us to weigh up the build with you.
What happens when we convert your PV5?
- Talk it through. Ring us or fill in the quote form. Tell us how you’ll use the van.
- Written quote. Itemised, with the VAT shown.
- Design. We draw the layout in CAD, so you see it before anything is cut.
- Order the roof. A deposit secures your slot. Roof parts take about 4 weeks.
- Fit the roof. Fitted to the maker’s method, sealed and leak tested.
- The rest of the build. Insulation, lining, electrics, bed, windows, awning. Furniture CNC-cut in our workshop.
- Handover. We show you how everything works before you drive away.
Common mistakes to avoid with an electric camper
- Ignoring payload. Heavy furniture and big batteries eat your carrying weight fast.
- Running camp kit off the drive battery. Wake up to a flat van miles from a charger. Fit a separate leisure system.
- Letting anyone drill into the floor. High voltage runs underneath. Use a fitter who knows the van.
- Trusting the brochure range. A loaded camper on the motorway in winter won’t match it.
- Buying a roof kit and “having a go”. A brilliant roof fitted badly is still a bad roof.
- Not telling your insurer. Do it before the first trip, not after the first claim.
Our verdict
The Kia PV5 is a genuinely good camper base, as long as you buy it for the trips you really do. For UK weekends and holidays, it’s quiet, roomy and cheap to run, and the built-in 220V socket is a gift.
Get the pop top, the weight and the heating right and you’ll love it. Want some inspiration first? See our campervan trips from Manchester or browse our gallery.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put a pop top on a Kia PV5?
Yes. Skyline make front and rear lifting PV5 roofs, and Drivelodge make a front lifting one. We’re accredited fitters for both.
How much does a Kia PV5 camper conversion cost?
It depends on the roof and how much you add. A roof on its own is one price; a full conversion with electrics, bed, windows and heating is another. Tell us what you want and we’ll send a written, itemised quote.
Does a pop top affect the PV5’s range?
A little. Any extra weight and any extra height into the wind cost some range. How much depends on the roof, the rest of the build and how you drive. Plan your trips with some slack.
Will a conversion affect my EV warranty?
Talk to your Kia dealer before you book, and get their answer in writing. We’ll give you the roof details and our invoice so they can see exactly what was done.
Do I need to tell my insurer?
Yes. Tell your insurer about any change to the van, a pop top included. Many insurers treat a camper differently from a plain van, so it may change your cover.
Can the PV5 be reclassified as a motor caravan with the DVLA?
Possibly, but a pop top on its own isn’t enough. DVLA looks for fixed seating and a table, sleeping, cooking and storage, plus outside features. Read the GOV.UK motor caravan guidance before you plan the layout.
How long does it take?
Roof parts take about 4 weeks to arrive after you order. The build time depends on how much you’re having done, and we’ll give you dates with your quote.
Can you fit a shower in a PV5?
We don’t fit showers. We’d rather keep the van light and use the space for a better bed and storage.
Thinking about a PV5 camper?
Tell us about your van and how you’ll use it. We’ll come back with a written quote.
Unit 7, Croft Industrial Estate, Pilsworth, Bury BL9 8QG · 07576 574799