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Kia partners with Gyeonggi, Hwaseong for future mobility ecosystem

Published: 06 Mar. 2025, 18:11

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung, right, Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon, center, and Hwaseong Mayor Chung Myung-geun pose at a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony held in Hwaseong on March 6 to develop an ecosystem for the future mobility industry in the province. [YONHAP]

Kia on Thursday partnered with the province of Gyeonggi and the city of Hwaseong to develop an ecosystem for the future mobility industry in the region, with a focus on the automaker's purpose-built vehicles (PBVs).

Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed at Kia Autoland Hwaseong, Kia will proceed with the construction of the world's first dedicated PBV plant, the Hwaseong EVO Plant, while Gyeonggi and Hwaseong will support regulatory approvals and infrastructure improvements.

An MOU signing ceremony was attended by Kia CEO Song Ho-sung, Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon and Hwaseong Mayor Chung Myung-geun.

According to the automaker, the partnership aligns with its future mobility vision and the local governments' goal of transforming into a hub for future mobility innovation.

Kia and the local governments will also cooperate on vehicle-to-grid charging infrastructure development to promote a sustainable energy ecosystem.

Additionally, the three will collaborate on securing national projects and identifying new business models to stimulate the mobility sector. They also plan to develop PBV-based mobility services to enhance local transportation convenience.

"With Kia's innovative technology, we aim to support Gyeonggi and Hwaseong in becoming key centers for the future mobility industry," Song said.

Gov. Kim said the province will actively support companies in their new ventures in Gyeonggi.

Kia unveiled its PBV — originally meaning purpose-built vehicles and later expanded to "Platform Beyond Vehicle" — business strategy last month, centered around customer-centric vehicle development with software solutions to offer customized mobility solutions.

Under the strategy, the automaker aims to create new value propositions for various businesses that utilize the company's PBV models. This year, Kia plans to introduce the PV5 model, which features a customized vehicle structure based on Hyundai Motor Group's new E-GMP.S platform.

Yonhap