At Milan Design Week 2025
Kia showcased its concept of future mobility at Milan Design Week 2025 with its immersive and visually arresting ‘Transcend Journey’ design installation, hosted at Eastend Studios from April 7 to 9, 2025.
The showcase spotlighted the South Korean brand’s next-generation electric and Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) innovations, featuring the production-ready Kia PV5, the versatile PV5 WKNDR concept, and the bold, future-forward Concept EV2.
Bringing together cutting-edge design, lifestyle integration, and sustainable technology, the exhibition offered a glimpse into how Kia envisions the future of electric mobility — one that seamlessly merges urban practicality with outdoor adventure.
Kia’s vision of future mobility
Centred around Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, the ‘Transcend Journey’ exhibition was constructed as a symbolic, twisting sculpture, representing the fluid transition between contrasting environments — from bustling cities to remote natural landscapes. The installation was divided into thematic zones that echoed this design narrative:
- Urban Oasis (Concept EV2 Zone): A serene, picnic-style setting with soft blue accents, outdoor lifestyle elements, and smart design pieces to illustrate how the Concept EV2 integrates sustainability and relaxation into urban life.
- Adventure Hub (PV5 Zone): Featuring the PV5 and PV5 WKNDR, this zone highlighted the adaptability of Kia’s PBV platform. Nature-inspired artwork, a pop-up camping setup, and immersive lifestyle activations framed it.
Future-ready, purpose-built
Kia’s installation featured a trio of vehicles designed to transform the way we move, live, and explore:
- PV5: This production-ready PBV is available in Passenger, Cargo, and Chassis Cab formats. Designed with modular flexibility, the PV5 offers up to 400km range and 30-minute fast charging. It also features E-GMP.S architecture for versatile body configurations, three-row seating, and adaptable layouts. It will launch in South Korea and Europe in H2 2025.
- PV5 WKNDR Concept: This adventure-ready variant, tailored for weekend escapes, features off-road tyres, hydro turbine wheels, and solar charging capabilities. It also features a modular interior with ‘Gear Head’ storage that doubles as an outdoor pantry and recycled Nike Grind flooring for a sustainable touch.
- Concept EV2: A compact, all-electric B-segment SUV concept with rear-hinged doors, flat floors, pop-up luggage dividers, sustainable materials, adaptive LED lighting, and removable triangular speakers and ambient tech for lifestyle integration.
Immersive partnerships
Kia’s collaboration with renowned lifestyle brands added further depth to the experience:
- Helinox: A leader in lightweight outdoor gear, provided materials and design influence for the central pavilion structure. Constructed from aluminium poles by DAC and 3D-printed joints from LinkSolution, the sculptural design symbolised the adaptability of PBVs.
- Potler: The beloved South Korean coffee brand created a pop-up café within the WKNDR zone. Visitors could enjoy freshly brewed drip coffee and a signature s’mores kit, enhancing the display’s tactile and sensory experience.
These collaborations reinforced Kia’s vision of vehicles as more than just transportation — as tools for lifestyle enhancement, outdoor exploration, and everyday comfort.
Kia’s modular PBV strategy
The centrepiece of Kia’s Milan presentation, the PV5, is the brand’s inaugural model under its global PBV strategy. Built on the bespoke E-GMP.S platform, the PV5 line is engineered for seamless modular customisation, offering a flexible alternative for both personal users and business fleets.
Kia’s AddGear platform supports accessory customisation for passenger and cargo variants, while solar charging, advanced materials, and adaptable layouts position the PV5 and WKNDR as frontrunners in the next generation of electric mobility solutions.
A vision for tomorrow, designed today
With its ‘Transcend Journey’ installation, Kia offered a powerful artistic interpretation of future mobility and showcased tangible innovations to enter markets from 2025 onward. Through a compelling combination of sustainable materials, flexible architecture, and lifestyle-focused design, Kia’s approach reimagines what vehicles can mean in people’s daily lives — adaptable, connected, and purpose-built for the journeys ahead.
Hero image: Kia showcased its concept of future mobility at Milan Design Week 2025 with its immersive and visually arresting ‘Transcend Journey’ design installation. Credit: Kia
