Kia’s electric SUV and van are getting a new job as police cars

Kia’s electric vehicles could soon be the ones pulling you over. Kia converted the EV5 and PV5 into patrol vehicles as part of its push for greener police cars.

Meet the Kia PV5 and EV5 police vehicle concepts

Electric vehicles make great police cars — they have instant torque, require less maintenance, and are nearly silent.

Several police departments have used electric patrol cars for years, including the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.

Kia is eyeing the market with its midsize electric SUV and van. At the 2026 International Public Security Industry Exhibition in South Korea, Kia showcased two patrol vehicle concepts based on the EV5 and PV5.

The EV5 and PV5 patrol car concepts feature custom lights, sirens, and dedicated police badging on the side.

This year’s theme was “A New Era of K-Public Security by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics,” so Kia took the opportunity to showcase its latest security equipment and tech.

Kia said the EV5 is a perfect fit for police use, offering “best-in-class” interior space and luggage capacity of up to 965 liters. It features an added luggage board to store equipment and other supplies.

Earlier this year, Kia developed AI patrol cars with the Korean National Police Agency and has been holding training programs to implement electric vehicles.

The AI Patrol Car is based on the PV5, Kia’s 5-seat electric van. The PV5 AI Patrol Vehicle is equipped with three 4K AI cameras and even a drone landing pad mounted on the roof.

The cameras located on the front and rear of the vehicle use AI to detect dangerous situations and automatically alert the driver.

For example, the system can identify guns, knives, bats, and other weapons, as well as emergencies in which someone collapses.

The electric patrol van is equipped with a roof-mounted drone for ground surveillance, while the docking station charges it on the go. The drones have advanced thermal imaging cameras with 90X zoom that can read license plates and pinpoint someone on the run.

Kia’s AI Patrol Cars have been in operation by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Wide Area Prevention Patrol Division since last July.

“We intend to showcase the competitiveness of Kia’s electrified mobility and its potential for use as police patrol vehicles,” a Kia official said. The company plans to continue developing custom solutions for police and other public sector use based on its electric vehicles.