Kia leans into commercial sector with a line of modular EVs

Kia Corp. will develop a series of modular electric vehicles with a range of flexible loading and hauling capabilities that can be used commercially or for personal transportation.

The line is part of Kia's future mobility strategy called Platform Beyond Vehicle, which Kia is also spinning off into a new business unit.

The South Korean automaker showed three PBV concepts, the PV5, PV7 and PV1, today at CES in Las Vegas. The reveal also included a fourth concept — the PV5 High Roof — a variant of the PV5.

The dedicated PBV business will center on the PV5, which will launch in 2025 for all markets. It will be one of the 15 EVs Kia said it will deliver globally by 2027.

The new division also plans to concentrate on the integration of vehicles, software and development of yet-to-be-determined "future technologies."

The PBV business represents its vision of "going beyond the traditional concept of automobiles" to fulfill the needs of different customers and communities with vehicles and services that cater to specific market and business circumstances, Kia Corp. CEO Ho Sung Song said in a statement.

Kia PBVs will be based on parent Hyundai Motor Group's software-to-everything strategy, or SDx, also introduced at CES.

The company foresees a transportation system and infrastructure that is software-defined, connected and continuously learning to improve efficiency.

For its PBVs, Kia is planning software dedicated to in-vehicle infotainment, fleet management and charging.

Operators will be able to access insights on sales, inventory and delivery; control temperature or adjust route planning; receive predictive maintenance to limit downtime; and optimize charging schedules with consideration of power levels, route, schedules and breaks.

Kia said it already has established partnerships with South Korean companies such as e-commerce site Coupang, CJ Logistics and ride-hailing app Kakao Mobility as well as Uber and Dubai Taxi Corp. to develop its PBV business.

The PBV models share a single vehicle chassis and offer a range of interchangeable upper bodies behind a fixed cab, what Kia is calling a driver zone.

The modules can be connected to the base using what Kia called "dynamic hybrid technology" so they are easy to change in the field. For example, a PBV could be used as a taxi during the day and a delivery vehicle at night.

Kia is constructing a PBV-dedicated factory in Autoland Hwaseong, South Korea, that will become operational in 2025. It will have an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles.

The first phase of the PBV blueprint includes three variants of the PV5, which will be used for ride hailing, delivery and other commercial applications.

Multiple versions of the PV5 will be available in the future, including Basic, Van, High Roof and Chassis Cab configurations.

Common design elements include large doors that swing outward to expose a pillarless opening for easy entrance and exit. The interiors will also offer wide, flat open spaces thanks to the extended wheelbase and electric platform.

The PV5 rollout includes an ecosystem that enables a data and feature sharing ecosystem to create a software-defined fleet. Kia said the enhanced connectivity aims to streamline operations for fleet managers and provide access to external data such as route or delivery information.

A robotaxi model developed with Motional is also part of the initial phase. Motional is a joint venture between parent Hyundai Motor Group and technology company Aptiv. It is already working on a self-driving taxi program in Las Vegas with transit technology company Via using Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs.

The second phase encompasses the build out of the entire PBV lineup and deeper data integration that evolves the models into an artificial intelligence-based platform that learns from user behavior and keeps vehicles updated.

The largest PBV will be the PV7, which will have more interior space and ample driving range.

The PV1 is the smallest PBV, designed for last-mile deliveries, and has compact dimensions to navigate tight quarters.

The third phase will include integrated rail and tile systems that simplify movement of items inside or between vehicles. PBVs will have rails on the ceiling, floor and side panels of the interior, and some on the exterior. The tiles will enable flexibility of functional accessories such as speakers and shelves.