- The Kia PV5 WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Van) was developed with BraunAbility to be ADA-compliant and fit a motorized wheelchair.
- The WAV was developed for taxi and rideshare clients, specifically.
- The Kia PV5 has not been confirmed for U.S. sale.
New York City has had quite a few iconic cabs in its history. The purpose-built Checker Taxi eventually gave way to big American gas guzzlers like the Chevrolet Caprice and Ford Crown Victoria. The “Cab of Tomorrow” of the 2010s, based on the Nissan NV200 was more accessible, but lacked electrification. Nowadays, there are plenty of hybrid Toyota Sienna and RAV4s—an improvement over big gas guzzlers, but in the era of full EV, we can do better.
Kia and BraunAbility think so, too. At this year’s New York International Auto Show, the two showed off an upfitted Kia PV5 electric van concept wearing a special taxi livery. Could this be New York’s next iconic cab? Maybe so.
Gallery: Kia PV5 WAV NYC Taxi
Officially called the PV5 WAV, short for Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, this yellow-painted PV5 van has been altered to accept a wheelchair. Kia has a WAV version of the PV5 van in other markets, but the ramp entry is on the side of the van. BraunAbility’s additions to the PV5 mean that it can handle a motorized wheelchair and has tie-downs to secure the chair in place. The ramp has also been moved to the rear of the van.
Kia says that the PV5 was designed to accommodate alterations from its outset. That's been clear since Kia's PBV Concept showcase back in 2025, in which it showed off several different rear cargo areas that could be customized for different clientele. BraunAbility's concept shows how that idea applies in the real world.
Interestingly, the PV5 itself has yet to be confirmed for the U.S. market. There have been spy shots of the van rolling around U.S. roadways, but it’s not clear if the van will even show up in our dealerships.
Kia and BraunAbility say that this vehicle is still just a proof of concept. They have not announced that New York will add these to its taxi fleet, although the city does want 100% of all rideshare and taxi trips to happen in a full zero-emission vehicle by 2030. But it's not just an idle design exercise either, like so many concept cars are. Kia and BraunAbility plan to start real-world validation of the vehicle in New York. And they described PV5 WAV as "production-ready."
"I can think of no better place to unveil our production-ready concept than one of the most iconic taxi markets in the world, and Kia is looking forward to continually collaborating with BraunAbility on the PV5 WAV offer sustainable mobility to more users," Sangdae Kim, head of Kia’s PBV division, said in a statement.
The Kia PV5 WAV we saw today may just a concept, but the real thing may be on roads sooner than you think.
Contact the author: Kevin.Williams@InsideEVs.com
