PBV

Platform Beyond Vehicle

What moves us?

Questions have always moved us forward.

Where does new inspiration come from?

Can even a tiny spark of inspiration completely transform the way we move?

Could EVs one day be able to complement every lifestyle?

Why can't innovation and sustainability go hand in hand?

At Kia, every new question has taken us to new heights. 

Today, we ask ourselves another important question:

How will tomorrow's mobility transform our cities, businesses and lifestyles?

Starting now, we share with you our answers.

Kia PBV.

About Kia PBV

Our Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) concept is a sustainable mobility solution offering a range of light commercial vehicles and people carriers, all 100% electric. 

Each vehicle will be underpinned by advanced software solutions - derived from Kia's software-to-everything strategy - that open the door to new business opportunities and lifestyles.

Kia PBVs will offer different profiles and interiors, giving you the freedom and flexibility you need to thrive in your business and life.

This is mobility redefined for a sustainable era.

Why Kia PBV

The Kia PBV concept goes beyond the conventional vehicle. It provides a holistic set of business solutions to help you unlock opportunities in ways that could not be envisaged before.

Lineup

From 2025, we will start introducing our range of PBVs, starting with the PV5 and followed by the PV7 and the PV1. Building on their flexible platform, these models will be available in various bodystyles and interior arrangements, making them suitable for different industries and usages like logistics, construction, ride-hailing or lifestyle.

Kia will expand the concept of mobility - which has been limited due to the small range of vehicle lineup - and better respond to our customers' diverse needs.

Production System

Kia will apply innovative production processes to produce PBVs in our new dedicated plant in Hwaseong, South Korea. The plant will adopt our new cell method to respond to customer requirements more dynamically.

Product Development Process

Our range of PBVs will be the fruit of extensive collaboration with key industry stakeholders, ensuring that both the vehicles and their associated services fully meet our customers' expectations.

Our first 'PBV Partners Days' were held in 2022. They provided an opportunity for a wide range of European industry figures and users to feed into the vehicle and solution development process at an early stage of development.

Solutions

Kia is developing specialised software solutions to cater to the needs of a wide array of businesses and user case.

Our In-Vehicle Infotainment solution is designed to adapt to the user and to leverage data that enriches their experience. Customers operating a fleet of vehicles will also be able to unlock additional value from their fleet's real-time data, allowing them to better manage and optimise their operations.

Kia PBVs will also feature a suite of charging solutions that make charging both easier and cost-effective.

Future Business

Over time, Kia's PBV offering will incorporate new opportunities derived from the company's innovation in robotics, advanced air mobility and autonomous driving. We - through our work with Boston Dynamics and their Stretch and Spot innovations - will draw on our expertise in robotics to further improve our manufacturing and logistics.

We will also introduce advanced air mobility to unlock multi-modal mobility and business opportunities within tomorrow's smart city. With regards autonomous driving, our work with Motional will culminate in the launch of the PV5-R, a model that will achieve level 4 autonomy thanks to Motional's next generation system.

Kia PBV Roadmap

Phase 1

Our first mid-size PBV, the Kia PV5, will be optimised for major use cases like delivery, utilities, construction and ride-hailing, and will offer a range of conversion capabilities. Advanced connectivity will enable the optimisation of our clients' fleets, reducing downtime and increasing cost-effectiveness.

Phase 2

Kia will use AI-based mobility platforms to interact with users and ensure our vehicles always benefit from the latest innovations. With more models available, Kia will also serve a wider set of industries and business requirements. Our real-time data ecosystem will open to connect with smart city management systems and our clients' fleet management systems to provide a seamless experience across devices and software. Meanwhile, new forms of business linked with robotics and other future technologies will emerge.

Phase 3

Kia PBVs will evolve into highly customisable mobility solutions by integrating into the mobility ecosystem of the future. This is where Kia PBVs will ultimately become platforms that can make any spark of inspiration a 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 business opportunities and lifestyles. We will create a robust PBV ecosystem based on our company’s groundbreaking technologies in the fields of autonomous driving, advanced air mobility, robotics and the energy grid.

All Set for Every Inspiration

What will our cities look like as the world of mobility evolves? 

Can innovation redefine logistics to such extent that it positively impact our lives? 

What benefits will increased connectivity bring about? 

These are some of the countless questions that inspire us and move us into the future. 

The answers lie within Kia's PBV project.