Wellhouse Leisure, a family-run campervan builder in South Yorkshire, has converted Kia’s electric PV5 panel van into a camper with two double beds and a full galley kitchen. A 200 W solar panel, a pop-up roof and an induction hob come with it, and the price on the maker’s own page is £63,000. The first finished van is, according to Wellhouse, built and ready to view.
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The base vehicle matters to how the camper works. The PV5 is Kia’s first dedicated electric van, built on a skateboard platform called E-GMP.S that Kia pitches for many body styles, and Wellhouse chose the Cargo version because of its price, its long warranty and a built-in vehicle-to-load socket. At 4.69 metres long, 1.89 wide and 1.99 tall, the converted van sits close in size to a Ford Custom, which keeps it within an ordinary parking bay.
Two double beds from a folding seat and a pop-up roof
Sleeping space comes from two separate arrangements. The rear seats are a crash-tested sliding system from the German supplier Schnierle, mounted on airline-style floor rails, and the pair of seats folds flat into a double bed. Either one can be unlocked and lifted out, which clears the load area for a mountain bike or a surfboard, and leaves a single berth if only one seat is removed.
The second double sits upstairs. An elevating roof raises a bed on Froli springs, a slatted spring system that Electrek describes as more comfortable. Between the folded seats and the roof, four people can sleep in a van that is barely larger than a family estate.
The cab and rear seating double as a daytime lounge. Wellhouse says the two swivelling front seats and the sliding rear pair were tested together inside a PV5 shell, and that the rear seats recline and have an integrated footrest. Slid forward they free luggage space for travel, and slid back they form a lounge facing the cab seats. Wellhouse describes two layouts: a two-person camper with the rear cabin cleared for cargo, or a solo bike-shuttle setup with one seat kept in place.
Fixed features round out the shell. Three double-glazed windows carry blinds and flyscreens, the walls are insulated and built from lightweight board, and a plinth heater takes the chill off cool nights. The standard PV5 supplies a heat pump, a 12.9-inch navigation touchscreen and heated front seats, while bicycle carriers, a side awning and a colour reverse camera are listed as extras.
Induction hobs, a 42-litre fridge and a separate leisure battery
The kitchen block carries a sink with a tap and an electric water pump, two induction burners, a 42-litre drawer-style fridge, cabinets and storage, with a 700 W microwave offered as an extra. According to New Atlas, the hob and the fridge run from a 150 Ah lithium leisure battery or from shore power, and a fresh-water tank sits beneath the worktop. Wellhouse lists butcher’s block, polished concrete and quartz worktops, plus four conversion colours, at no extra charge.
Keeping that cooking load off the traction battery is the central design choice. The leisure battery and its 12-volt supply are separate from the pack that moves the van, so an evening of cooking does not eat into driving range. The 200 W roof panel trickles charge into the leisure side, and a mains hookup can also slow-charge the main battery while the van sits on a campsite pitch. Vehicle-to-load output is standard on the Plus trim for running an e-bike charger or a laptop.
Driving figures come with caveats. Electrek quotes the PV5 Plus Long Range at a 71.2 kWh pack, up to 247 miles on the WLTP test and about 30 minutes for a 10 to 80 percent fast charge, but notes that the conversion equipment will cut into range and that Wellhouse has not published a camper-specific number. Autoevolution also treats the showcased unit as a prototype, so figures may shift before deliveries begin.
Price, approval and a sold-out first run
Wellhouse’s product page lists two versions, an Elevating Roof and a High Top, both at £63,000 on the Plus 71.2 kWh trim, or about $84,000 at the exchange rate Electrek used. New Atlas reported a lower £59,995 figure that Wellhouse said had not changed since July, so buyers should confirm which number applies when they order. Production vans are expected to differ slightly, with a smaller top locker and a storage pack behind the wardrobe, and Wellhouse says the conversion is planned to be National Caravan Council approved and Type Approved under Kia’s converter programme.
Demand appears to be strong. David Elliott, Wellhouse’s founder and chief executive, told New Atlas that the company had never seen this level of interest in a new model and called the camper a game-changer, adding that most buyers had already moved to an electric car. The first production run of 30 vans has sold out, and viewings are by appointment at the South Yorkshire factory.
The van also benefits from Kia’s own credentials. The PV5 was named 2026 International Van of the Year by a jury of 26 commercial vehicle journalists, a result Hyundai Motor Group reported in announcing the first Korean winner of the award. Whether Kia itself will sell a factory camper, which Autoevolution says the brand has confirmed, and whether any version will cross the Atlantic remain open questions that neither company has answered.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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