Hwaseong: Kia Corp. has entered into a partnership with Gyeonggi Province and the city of Hwaseong to advance the future mobility industry in the region, particularly focusing on the development of purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). The collaboration is marked by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed at Kia Autoland Hwaseong, which outlines the construction of the Hwaseong EVO Plant, the world's first dedicated PBV facility. In this venture, Gyeonggi Province and Hwaseong will provide support through regulatory approvals and infrastructure enhancements.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this partnership is in line with Kia's vision for future mobility and the local governments' objectives to evolve into a hub for innovation in the mobility sector. The collaboration will also focus on developing vehicle-to-grid charging infrastructure to foster a sustainable energy ecosystem. Moreover, the partners aim to secure national projects and explore new business models that could invigorate the mobility sector. Plans are also in place to develop PBV-based mobility services aimed at improving local transportation convenience.
The MOU signing ceremony was attended by Kia CEO Song Ho-sung, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, and Hwaseong Mayor Chung Myung-geun. Song expressed Kia's commitment to supporting Gyeonggi Province and Hwaseong in their efforts to become pivotal centers in the future mobility industry. Governor Kim pledged active support for companies embarking on new ventures in the province.
Last month, Kia revealed its PBV business strategy, which emphasizes customer-centric vehicle development coupled with software solutions to offer tailored mobility solutions. This strategy aims to create new value propositions for businesses utilizing Kia's PBV models. As part of this initiative, Kia plans to launch the PV5 model this year, featuring a customized vehicle structure based on Hyundai Motor Group's new E-GMP.S platform.