Kia PBV aims to go beyond the traditional concept of a vehicle and redefine its meaning with Platform Beyond Vehicle, a total mobility solution that incorporates the ultimate in spatiality and software technology. The tailored interiors and evolved software solutions will make your business and lifestyle richer and more convenient.
Kia began construction on its PBV-dedicated Hwaseong EVO Plant in 2023. The plant will implement an innovative production process that combines a new cell method with the traditional conveyor system, and will soon introduce Dynamic Hybrid technology to more flexibly respond to diverse customer needs.
Conversion is a method of modifying a vehicle to suit specific uses, often by installing specialised equipment or structures onto the vehicle's basic frame. Traditionally, vehicles were modified to meet the specific needs of the industries in which they were used.
Kia has revolutionised the conversion process. We are establishing the PBV Conversion Centre to develop and produce conversion models comparable to Kia's MIP models. We will collaborate with specialised R&D and production companies to create customised conversion models that cater to diverse customer needs. Our goal is to develop and produce various conversion models of higher quality than existing specialised models.
Kia will align its PBV business with Hyundai Motor Group's key future ventures, including Robotics, AAM (Advanced Air Mobility), and Autonomous Driving, to ultimately implement them in smart cities.
In the field of Robotics, Kia will revolutionise manufacturing and logistics through the use of Boston Dynamics robots. AAM will bring smart cities closer to reality by realising multimodal services and mobility hub businesses in collaboration with Supernal. Regarding Autonomous Driving, Kia is developing a Robotaxi with Motional and plans to achieve level 4 autonomous driving in the near future with Motional's third-generation system.
Our first mid-sized PBV, the Kia PV5, will be an EV optimised for major domains such as hailing, delivery, and utilities, featuring conversion capabilities to meet diverse customer needs. Enhanced data connectivity between vehicles and external data, such as route or delivery information, will enable the convenient operation of multiple vehicles as a software-defined fleet. This emergence of customised business fleets and PBV-specific solutions will result in less downtime and improved cost-effectiveness.
Kia PBVs will evolve into AI-based mobility platforms that utilise data to interact with users, ensuring they are always up-to-date. The completion of a dedicated PBV lineup will expand domain coverage to include large logistics companies, mobility businesses, and private lifestyle users. Real-time vehicle data will be shared with city management systems, enabling us to continuously provide customers with advanced mobility solutions through an optimised fleet management system controlled by digital data. Expanding the scope of data connectivity will support AI-driven vehicle control and management, and an integrated PBV solution will provide a customised, seamless experience across devices and software. Meanwhile, new business models linked with robotics and other future technologies will emerge.
Kia PBVs will evolve into highly customisable, bespoke mobility solutions by integrating with the future mobility ecosystem. This is where Kia PBVs will ultimately become life platforms that turn any inspiration into reality. Connected self-driving vehicles will be managed as part of a single smart city operating system. With the emergence of a hyper-connected world where people, PBVs, and social infrastructure are seamlessly linked, we will open the door to completely new lifestyles. This will be achieved by creating a robust PBV ecosystem based on Hyundai Motor Group’s future technologies for autonomous driving, advanced air mobility, robotics, and the energy grid.
The Kia Concept PV5 Passenger, the Kia Concept PV5 Cargo, the Kia PV5 Crew, the Kia PV5 Chassis-Cab and the Kia Concept PV7 vehicles shown here are not yet available for sale in the European market. All Images, videos and specifications shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be to EU specification.