At CES (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Kia released three electric freight carriers, which is a big deal in the industrial van business. The first car will be made in South Korea in 2025. It will be called the PV5. It will have many shapes, such as a cargo van and a robotaxi. After the PV5, there will be a bigger PV7 and a smaller PV1. Both will have smooth bodies like the PV5 and be made for small city streets. Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram have been the top industrial van brands for a long time. But Kia wants to change that with its Platform Beyond Vehicle subsidiary. It was first shown at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show. The new business wants to “revolutionize the mobility industry” and help its parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, reach its goals in “robotics, advanced air mobility, and autonomous driving.” At the event, three electric versions were shown off. Standardization of “Life Modules” changes Van’s job The main idea is to have a single chassis that can be changed to meet different movement needs. Kia calls the body panels that can be taken off “life modules,” and the driver’s cabin is in front of them. The bodywork will be attached to the vehicle’s base frame using a mix of electromagnetic and mechanical technologies. This will let it work as a taxi, delivery van, or even a personal car on the weekends. Kia says that the life modules will be “shipped in standardized, convenient kit form,” which will make it simple and quick to switch bodies on the job site. Kia’s PBV business is split into three stages. The Concept PV5 will mark the start of the first stage in a few years. Five different kinds will be made Delivery and ride-hailing services will be able to use the PV5. It will use software and data networking to make it easy to manage a big fleet of cars. With a long wheelbase and a flat floor, the PV5 has a sleek design and big doors that open to reveal a cargo space with no pillars. This makes the area as useful as possible. When the PV5 goes into production, it will come in five different styles: Basic, Van, High Roof, Robotaxi, and Chassis Cab. Each PV5 has a different goal, even though they all share the same basic chassis. The PV5 Basic has three rows of seats, two large doors, and seats that can be folded up to make room for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. On the other hand, the Van type is made to carry goods and has enough room inside for an adult to stand up straight. The High Roof model goes above and beyond, with more headroom and a cabin that can be turned into a mobile office thanks to a desk and driving wheel that can be folded up into a lamp. Motional, which is a partnership between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, a company that makes technology for cars, wants to use Robotaxis in its future mobility services. There are a lot of sensors on the roof of this car, and there is a screen in the trunk that can show important messages. Last but not least, the Hassis Cab type lets customers set up the PV5 for very specific uses. Kia is going to add two more cars to its lineup as the second part of its plan. The PV7, the largest carrier, will come out with more room inside and an “impressive driving range.” The PV1, on the other hand, is the entry-level model in the range. It is meant to provide “agile and short-distance logistics transportation, using driving modules to minimize turning radius even in narrow spaces.” The vans can be changed to fit the needs of any customer thanks to an integrated rail system that runs through the floor, roof, side panels, and outside. It will also be simpler to move things from one truck to another. Setting up businesses and fleets It seems like Kia’s PBV business is more of an idea at this point since the company wants to add PBVs to “the future mobility ecosystem.” With the vans, software, and other connections, the PBV will have a specific business arm. The vans’ entertainment systems will be able to connect to outside business apps, and fleet management software will let business owners oversee multiple vehicles and gather information on how they are used, routes planned, and fuel economy. AI and real-time data will be used for predictive maintenance, and Kia’s combined software will make it easy to schedule charges based on route, time, driver breaks, and battery levels. Kia says that it is working on partnerships with many companies, such as Uber so that they can use its PBVs in the future. Kia wants to work with robots by working with Boston Dynamics, the company best known for its dancing robot dogs. These dogs could be used to load and unload goods. Hyundai Motor Group’s flying electric taxi company Supernal is also a partner for Kia. The Motional-operated robotaxi form of the PV5 will have Level 4 autonomous driving. In Hwaseong, South Korea, a plant is being built to make the PBV line. The plant should be up and running by 2025, and it will be able to make 150,000 units per year. Kia is still waiting to hear word on whether the PV5, PV7, or PV1 will be sold in the US. A company representative said that the company can’t say anything about its plans for production and sales right now. If so, they will probably have to pay the “chicken tax,” which is a 25% tax on light cars that come from other countries. This tax has helped US automakers keep a tight grip on the pickup and van markets. Some things are different. Some businesses have brought in vans as kits that are then put together in the U.S., while others have brought in passenger cars that are later turned into freight vehicles.
