Ultra-Simple Conversion Turns This Kia Van Into A Full-On Camper
The Kia PV5 EV passenger van, which recently received the "Family Car of the Year" award at the 2026 Auto Express New Car Awards, will soon be treated to a camper conversion by a company based in the Netherlands. The company is Vantrack, and the full name of the conversion van is the Vantrack PV5/LightCamp, which can also be shortened to Vantrack LC. Our original review of the PV5, back when it was a concept, revealed that Kia's modular EV platform paints a wild vision for the future.
The PV5's winning of the "Family Car of the Year" award recognized the vehicle for "...its exceptional versatility, generous passenger and luggage space, and ability to meet the demands of modern family life," adding that it "...offers a compelling electric mobility solution for larger families." According to Vantrack, the Vantrack PV5/LightCamp will be based on the PV5 Passenger Essential model, and will be priced from 65,000 Euros in Europe. Currently, the PV5 is built in South Korea and is sold there and in Europe. It is unlikely to come to the U.S. due to tariffs, unless Kia can find a way to make it in one of their U.S. plants. If so, perhaps Kia will rewrite the history of modular EVs.
According to Vantrack, the Vantrack PV5/LightCamp is "...a new form of mobility...designed to unfold into a living environment for outdoor adventure, relaxation, sports, and connection." It features a super-light interior with a large bed that slides out, a removable cook station, a skylight, and a roof platform.
What else should you know about the Vantrack PV5/LightCamp?
According to Vantrack, a preview of the vehicle was held in April of 2026. The Vantrack PV5/LightCamp is being further developed and will launch in September of 2026. It is based on the Kia PV5 Passenger Essential model, which combines a 118-horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels with a 51.5kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. Its WLTP-based range is 265 city miles and 183 miles combined. Time will tell whether it breaks into the best electric camper vans on the market.
In terms of details, the Vantrack PV5/LightCamp includes a slide-out bed measuring 51" x 75" and uses two Luxemat air mattresses powered by an electric pump. The ZELT rooftop tent can be accessed through the skylight in the van's roof that is added by Vantrack. The skylight incorporates both an insect screen and a blackout shade. The cook station has induction burners, built-in storage, and is removable from the vehicle. Other items that come with the Vantrack LC are an 11-liter water system, an 18-liter cool box with compressor, 230-volt power supply and climate control when the vehicle is parked, and an awning system that provides sun protection.
The Vantrack PV5/LightCamp is unlikely to make it to our shores in the short run. But it does show what can be done when entrepreneurs like the Vantrack brothers meet a suitably flexible vehicle made half a world away.