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Kia is follow up a unassailable class for itspassenger EVsby sharing what it require to do for businesses count to go electric . The Korean car maker just unveil atCES 2024a forthcoming lineup of electrical vans , motortruck , drive - hailing and last - mile livery vehicles all set to be built on a new modular political platform .
And it appears to already have its first client . The company announced during the Monday press group discussion that is has formed a spheric partnership with Uber , according to Pierre - Martin Bos , vice president of Kia ’s fresh so - call PVB business enterprise division .
Not only will the underlie galvanizing powertrain be modular — similar to other skateboard - flair blueprint that have become pop across the industry — but the tops of these vehicles will be as well . What that looks like in practice , according to Kia , are vehicles with fixed number one wood cabs that can have the residue of the vehicle ’s cabin swapped out .
These cabins ( Kia calls them “ animation modules ” ) connect to the chassis using both mechanically skillful couplings and electromagnet , though Kia was light on the details about how that will work .
Kia was abstemious on specs , but said it is build a consecrate plant life to make them in South Korea that it claims will be operational in 2025 . Kia expects an one-year capacity of 150,000 fomite but say that could develop to 300,000 globally .
The first mannequin to be made will be the Kia PV5 , a three - row van with futuristic styling slated to hit the route in 2025 at a damage tatter of around $ 35,000 . Kia also showed renders of a orotund reading ( the PV7 ) due in 2027 and a smaller , more Smart automobile - sized alternative ( the PV1 ) . The company shared that it plans a robotaxi rendering could total in 2028 , and that vehicle built on the platform may eventually be available to regular consumer .
The face of the vehicles is fair stark and utilitarian . None of them are remotely as endearing as sibling companyHyundai ’s head - turning Staria van . Design - wise , they are not all that dissimilar from what struggling EV startup Canoo has spent the last few years promising to offer at scale of measurement . Hyundai and Canoo were once involved in a partnership that was suddenly called off by the EV inauguration ’s CEO , who madevague allusions at the timeabout protecting his company ’s IP .
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This post has been updated with details from Kia ’s CES 2024 press conference .
