*
Kia will establish its first manufacturing facility dedicated to producing electric
Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs)*
Kia’s foray into the
PBV sector is a pivotal step outlined in the company’s
Plan S strategy, with the ultimate aim to become a global leader in sustainable mobility solutions
* Construction of new facility to begin in the first half of 2023; production to start in the second half of 2025
* The facility will feature the company’s pioneering
‘E-FOREST’ smart manufacturing ecosystem, driven by data, connectivity, and robotics technologies
18 May 2022 –
Kia Corporation, which is in the midst of a transition into a sustainable mobility provider, has announced it will establish an all-new, high-tech smart manufacturing facility dedicated to producing electric
Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs).
The intelligent new production hub for
PBVs will be located within
Kia’s existing
Hwaseong manufacturing site in South Korea. The company plans to begin construction in the first half of 2023, with the aim to commence commercial production in the second half of 2025.
The plant will initially be able to build 100,000
PBVs a year, with the capacity to increase production to 150,000 units annually in line with the growth of
PBV market.
“This dedicated
PBV facility is one of the major pillars of our
Plan S strategy as
Kia seeks to claim the top position in the global
PBV market,” said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO of
Kia Corporation. “We will initially explore new markets with derivative
PBV models, then gradually expand our presence in global markets with dedicated
PBV models featuring autonomous driving technologies.”
Kia is one of the first global organisations to make headway into the
PBV market, and as part of its
Plan S roadmap, the brand aims to become a
PBV leader by 2030. When combined with autonomous driving technology,
PBVs are expected to offer a revolutionary new means of transportation that further enrich society and communities around the globe.
The new
PBV plant will feature state-of-the-art automation processes combined with advanced technologies that reduce carbon emissions during the production processes. The site is also equipped with clean painting and energy-saving facilities to minimise environmental impacts further.
Smart manufacturing with E-FOREST
E-FOREST is the brand name for
Kia’s new smart factory ecosystem that pursues innovation in manufacturing systems by organically connecting everything to realise customer value. The initial ‘E’ signifies progress in the overall mobility industry in terms of efficiency and economics. It also represents the ambition to achieve innovation for everyone by connecting elements such as artificial intelligence, robot technology, and ICT to provide its customers with the very best products. The ‘Forest’ part of the nomenclature refers to an ecosystem that harmonises all these elements to function as one.
Kia’s future
When operation begins in the second half of 2025, the new
PBV facility will build a mid-sized
PBV,
Kia’s first dedicated
PBV model.
Kia’s first dedicated
PBV will be based on
Kia’s ‘eS’ skateboard platform, explicitly developed for
PBVs. The new platform can flexibly accommodate various
PBV model sizes in response to diverse customer demands. Following the launch of the model codenamed
SW,
Kia will diversify into unmanned micro-sized
PBVs, general logistics, fresh food, multi-seat shuttles and large
PBVs that can be used as mobile offices or shops.
Each of
Kia’s innovative
PBVs will be equipped with an
OTA (Over the Air) functionality that can wirelessly update the vehicle’s software in real-time, which will have benefits for the total cost of ownership and ease of use.
Kia continues to introduce multiple forward-thinking initiatives to evoke the sustainable mobility shift, including: The Ocean Cleanup Project; Blue Carbon project; Joining the Climate Group’s RE100; and the launch of the Niro Plus, a derivative
PBV as a full electric taxi in Korea and which is under consideration for introduction to other markets, including
South Africa.
Hyundai Motor Group (the Group),
Kia’s mother brand, aims to sell 3.23 million
EVs a year globally by 2030, aiming for 12% percent of the global
EV market. The Group is set to be a game-changer in the global electric vehicle market with overwhelming performance and value beyond the competition. In the first quarter of 2022, the Group's sales of electric vehicles stood at 76,801 units, rising by a whopping 73% from the same period last year.
