Kia Motors Extends Operation of New Concept Vehicle Subscription Service 'KiaFlex'

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Kia Motors will extend the operation of its new concept mobility service 'KIA FLEX,' which has been running on a trial basis since June last year.

KIA FLEX is Kia's first subscription service where customers pay a monthly subscription fee to use a vehicle without any deposit or various tax burdens associated with vehicle ownership.

KIA FLEX consists of two products. First, the exchange-type product allows users to pay a monthly fee of 1,290,000 KRW and choose one vehicle from the K9 3.3 Turbo, Stinger 3.3 Turbo, or Mohave 3.0, with the option to swap the vehicle once a month.

Next, the exclusive-use product lets users continuously use a selected vehicle by paying monthly fees of 1,590,000 KRW for the K9 3.8, 1,090,000 KRW for the Mohave 3.0, 870,000 KRW for the Niro and Soul electric vehicles, and 880,000 KRW for the K7 2.5 model. For electric vehicles, an additional service allowing unlimited vehicle charging is also provided. Notably, both KIA FLEX products offer a benefit of using the Carnival Hi-Limousine free of charge once a month for up to 72 hours, separate from the subscription vehicles.

KIA FLEX is available to anyone aged 26 or older who has held a driver's license for more than one year and possesses a personal or corporate credit card in their name. After installing the mobile app, users can complete the entire process of contract, payment, reservation, delivery, and return all at once through the app, enabling fast and convenient use.

Additionally, since the vehicles are provided after thorough inspections and management, users do not need to worry about maintenance or consumable management. The reasonable subscription fees make it easy for buyers who find the cost of purchasing a new car burdensome to conveniently use various Kia vehicles.

Furthermore, Kia plans to launch electric vehicles based on an electric vehicle-exclusive platform in 2021 and add them to the KIA FLEX subscription vehicle lineup. A Kia official stated, "In the upcoming July, we plan to add the Sorento to the KIA FLEX subscription vehicles and expand the provided additional services, introducing various products to enhance customer satisfaction."