Kia debuts the PV5 WAV, a wheelchair-ready electri...

Kia has introduced a wheelchair-accessible automobile (WAV) iteration of its first electrical van. The PV5 WAV gives a number of accessibility options, reminiscent of a side-entry system so a wheelchair consumer can board the van from the sidewalk, and a quick-use entry ramp rated for 300kg (661 lbs). It is outfitted with a tip-up seat within the third row so different riders can help a wheelchair passenger from the facet. The PV5 WAV additionally has a wheelchair-specific belt fastening system.

The model collaborated with Motability Operations on the debut of the PV5 WAV. Motability Operations is a long-term accomplice of the UK’s automobile leasing plan that helps individuals with disabilities to have an accessible mode of transportation.

“By integrating cutting-edge Platform Past Automobile (PBV) expertise with considerate design, we’re paving the way in which for a future the place everybody can take pleasure in the advantages of sustainable mobility, and our partnership with Motability Operations is a testomony to our dedication to creating this imaginative and prescient a actuality,” Sangdae Kim, govt vice chairman and head of Kia’s PBV Division, stated. The PBV tech has been the inspiration for just a few of Kia’s new automobile bulletins over the previous yr, together with at .

The usual mannequin of the PV5, Kia’s first electrical van, just lately started within the UK. Kia hasn’t shared pricing data but concerning the WAV mannequin, however the non-WAV model retails beginning at £32,995 (about $44,000).