Kia launches modular van range powered by new electric mobility platform

Company Fleet  Electric Vehicles  New Launches 

Kia has revealed a new range of electric vehicles based around a mobility platform that offers a ‘blank canvas’ for transport innovation.

Kia says its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) enables Kia to quickly develop new products based on customer input and feedback.

Next year, Kia will introduce the first model built on the platform, the electric PV5, which is designed for passenger transport, deliveries and utilities. It intends to launch Basic, Van, High Roof and Chassis Cab variants, with future plans for a self-driving taxi for autonomous ride hailing.

It will be supported by a new in-vehicle infotainment system, fleet management technology and charging solutions.



Drivers can use a Kia PBV app market, while SME owners will be offered a fleet management solution to oversee all vehicles, with vehicle data including inventory monitoring, temperature control, and intelligent route planning. A charging solution will automatically adapt to account for battery charge levels, routes, schedules, and breaks.

In the future, a second phase of development will see the launch of the PV7, the largest van in the line-up, and the PV1 city van.

The platform is designed around customisation so a single vehicle chassis can have a variety of uses. Behind a fixed cab, a variety of interchangeable upper bodies can be connected to the base vehicle, so it could be used as a delivery van during the day and a taxi at night.

Ho Sung Song, Kia president and CEO, said: “Kia PBVs will be an enabler of business innovation.”

As part of the development of the platform, Kia has announced a collaboration with Uber to develop and offer PBVs to its drivers.

---

View our latest blog posts