Kia investing big time into electric vans and PBVs
Kia sees electric vans and purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) as its next business venture.
The Korean carmaker is building a new factory in its homeland. The factory will be finished by 2025 and dedicated entirely to making electric PBVs.
Kia targets building 100,000 electric PBVs in the factory’s first operational year. After that, production will be ramped up to 150,000.
The first vehicle assembled at the new plant’s production line will be a mid-size vehicle, currently codenamed “SW.”
However, Kia did say that other vehicles built at the factory will include those made for transporting food, general cargo and people.
They even have plans to build PBVs large enough to be considered “mobile offices or shops.”
Kia is investing $25 billion into its electric transition. Part of that investment will fund the new factory and its projects.
The manufacturer plans to have 14 new electric vehicles (PBVs and passenger cars) on the global market by 2027. Half will be fully electric, and the rest will be some form of hybrid.
