From Organization to Mission, Kia Motors Completely Transformed: "Leading Electric Vehicle Mobility"

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Kia Motors is undertaking organizational restructuring and a name change to lead the era of electric mobility. The company has reorganized its structure to strengthen capabilities in the customer experience sector and is preparing to redefine its brand by considering removing "Motors" from its name.

On the 21st, Kia Motors subdivided the Customer Experience Headquarters' tasks based on customer situations and touchpoints and reorganized the organization. While the Customer Experience Headquarters had been functionally organized, it is now divided into four departments according to the stages of customer usage experience: ▲Customer Purchase Experience Division ▲Ownership Experience Division ▲Brand Strategy Office ▲Customer Experience Planning Office.

First, the Customer Purchase Experience Division is responsible for branding before customers recognize the brand and make a purchase. It provides customized information and services in an integrated online and offline environment, such as VR showrooms and contactless vehicle experience opportunities, and strengthens partnerships with global data platform companies to offer personalized services.

Additionally, the Ownership Experience Division provides quick and diverse services to Kia vehicle owners. It leads innovation in in-vehicle experiences by detecting and minimizing customer inconveniences in advance through real-time monitoring, remote support, driving data analysis and diagnostics, developing connectivity software and infotainment services, and wirelessly updating various software.

The Brand Strategy Office establishes standards to ensure that Kia’s organization delivers consistent customer-centric experiences and manages all customer touchpoints. The Customer Experience Planning Office manages the global network so that customers worldwide can experience the unique Kia brand experience and shares brand strategies and visions.

Kia Motors recently applied for a patent for their emblem with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Photo by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

Recently, Kia Motors unveiled 'Plan S,' declaring a shift to an electric vehicle business system by launching seven dedicated electric vehicle models by 2027 and increasing cooperation with domestic and international charging infrastructure companies. Starting next year with the launch of the first electric vehicle 'CV (project name)' equipped with the dedicated electric vehicle platform 'E-GMP,' Kia aims to become an innovative brand leading the electric vehicle mobility market.

To this end, Kia is currently reviewing changing its name by removing "Motors" and becoming simply "Kia," and is also promoting the replacement of the emblem attached to the vehicle exterior. This strategy aims to transform from a combustion engine-focused automobile manufacturer to a mobility products and services company.

Song Ho-sung, President of Kia Motors, emphasized, "In the upcoming electric vehicle mobility era, we must provide new experiences at various customer touchpoints?not only at the moment of purchasing a vehicle but also during the time spent inside the vehicle, charging, parking, and daily life."