Kia launched sales of its 2025 Bongo III EV special purpose vehicles Monday, marking the automaker's latest push into South Korea's commercial electric vehicle market with five specialized variants designed for logistics and delivery operations.
The commercial electric trucks address persistent customer complaints about charging speeds and operational efficiency that have plagued previous electric commercial vehicles. This launch builds on Kia's April release of the standard 2025 Bongo III EV, extending electrification into specialized commercial applications during a period of growing demand for zero-emission delivery solutions.
The new lineup includes refrigerated trucks, cargo trucks, wing-body vehicles, sliding-door trucks, and power gate models, each incorporating customer feedback from existing electric commercial vehicle operators12.
Kia reduced rapid charging time from 47 minutes to 32 minutes for 10% to 80% battery capacity by strengthening high-voltage cable wiring and applying new battery cells with higher energy density13. The company also increased LED interior lighting brightness in cargo areas and improved vertical power gate quality to minimize rust and scratches12.
"We expect The 2025 Bongo III EV special purpose vehicles with enhanced product competitiveness to lead the small commercial special purpose vehicle market," a Kia official stated13.
Pricing ranges from 49.06 million won for the vertical power gate model to 63.02 million won for the standard refrigerated truck123. The refrigerated trucks are priced at 62.92 million won for the low model and 63.02 million won for the standard version, while cargo trucks range from 48.67 million won to 50.11 million won depending on configuration12.
Wing-body models cost 50.8 million won for manual operation and 52.3 million won for electric operation12. Sliding-door trucks are priced between 50.08 million won and 50.74 million won12.
The launch comes as Kia seeks to rebuild momentum in electric commercial vehicles after Bongo III sales, including electric variants, dropped 32% to 42,401 units in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to Kaizyu Data Research Institute1. Previous electric Bongo models faced criticism for limited real-world driving range, severe winter efficiency drops, and insufficient charging infrastructure1.
The standard 2025 Bongo III EV, released in April, improved charging speed and increased driving range to 217 kilometers per charge, addressing some operator concerns about electric commercial vehicle viability23.
