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Kia’s first electric PBV will be developed for delivery, ride-hailing, and business-to-business transactions
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–> by Brad Anderson
May 16, 2023 at 05:59
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by Brad Anderson
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Kia believes it could sell as many as 1 million of its purpose-built electric vehicles (PBVs) in 2030 as it looks to expand its footprint from beyond just a car manufacturer to a major player in the mobility industry.
The company’s planned PBVs are focused on delivery and taxi services while being made to order, allowing for customers to have them tweaked to suit their needs. The vehicles will be underpinned by a new dedicated skateboard platform for electric PBVs and be manufactured at the company’s new Hwaseong plant in South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province.
Kia has already committed 1 trillion won ($757 million) to this factory and plans to commence production in the second half of 2025. It intends on producing 150,000 PBVs in the first year.
Read: Kia Confirms New Korean Factory For Electric Purpose-Built Vehicles
Nikkei Asia notes that one of Kia’s first PBV customers is e-commerce company Coupang. These vehicles will be modified and outfitted with just a driver’s seat, maximizing cargo space. Coupang will use them to transport refrigerated and frozen goods. Kia will also produce PBVs for transport company CJ Logistics and then plans to start looking for customers in the U.S. and Europe.
“We aim to become the world’s top company in the purpose-built vehicle market,” Kia chief executive Song Ho-Sung previously said. In addition to the 1 million PBVs it plans to build in 2030, Kia intends on producing 600,000 passenger EVs.
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The first PBV from the brand will be mid-sized based on the new ‘eS’ platform. It will be launched in 2025 and has been developed for delivery, ride-hailing, and business-to-business transactions. Following the launch of this model, Kia will shift focus to large-sized PBVs that can be used for logistics, fresh food delivery, multi-seat shuttles, and mobile offices and spaces. It is also working on small-sized PBVs and mid-sized robotaxis.
