Kia Launches Plan S in Full Swing... Aiming to Transform from Manufacturing to 'Mobility Solutions Company'

Kia Changes Name and Logo... Commitment to Becoming a Mobility Solutions Company
Launch of First Dedicated Electric Vehicle CV This Year
Application of Seven Dedicated Electric Vehicles 'Alpha Numeric' by 2027
Development of Customized PBV Targeting Corporate Customers

[Asia Economy Reporters Suyeon Woo and Jihee Kim] Kia has officially launched its mid- to long-term strategy ‘Plan S,’ announced early last year, alongside its name change and the unveiling of a new brand direction. The strategy aims to lead the next-generation mobility market by expanding beyond traditional automobile manufacturing to include mobility services.

Founded in 1944, Kia has been a global leader in the automotive industry for over 75 years. It was the first in Korea to successfully manufacture bicycles and has grown into one of the world’s largest automobile companies by producing not only passenger cars but also three-wheelers, trucks, and military vehicles. Now, Kia is stepping into the future mobility era by offering various forms of transportation and expanding into service sectors.

The new Kia name embodies the company’s ambition to become a mobility solutions provider. It signifies a commitment not just to manufacturing cars but to comprehensively offering eco-friendly mobility solutions. Kia President Ho-sung Song declared, “From the moment we introduced our new brand direction and strategy, Kia’s transformation to provide sustainable mobility solutions to customers and society has begun.”

Early last year, Kia announced its mid- to long-term strategy Plan S, focusing on electric vehicles (EVs), mobility solutions and services, and purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). The company set goals to establish 11 EV lineups by 2025, achieve a 6.6% share of the global EV market, and sell 500,000 EVs by 2026.

Kia’s Dedicated EVs to Adopt ‘Alpha Numeric’ Naming, CV to be Unveiled in Q1

To materialize Plan S, Kia will launch its first dedicated EV, the ‘CV,’ this year and introduce seven dedicated EV models by 2027. These seven EVs will adopt the ‘Alpha Numeric’ naming system, similar to Hyundai Motor’s EV brand Ioniq, where model names are represented by numbers according to vehicle class. Karim Habib, Head of Kia Design Center, stated, “The new Kia EVs will be named EV1 through EV9,” adding, “Our goal is to design physical experiences and create EVs that excite the heart.”

The CV will be the first Kia EV to apply Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated EV platform ‘E-GMP.’ It offers a driving range of 500 km on a single charge and features a fast-charging system that can charge within 20 minutes. Designed as a crossover, the CV will be produced at Kia’s Hwaseong Plant 3 and exported worldwide through Pyeongtaek Port. It symbolizes Kia’s full-scale transition to an EV system.

Kia held the 'New Kia Brand Showcase' on the 15th through its global brand website. The lineup of electric vehicles and PBV products unveiled by Kia on this day / Photo by Kia

Expanding into PBVs and Mobility Services

Kia is pursuing innovation not only in EV design and functionality but also in sales methods. The company plans to provide comprehensive purchasing solutions by managing the entire lifecycle of EVs. To this end, it is exploring various new businesses, including EV subscription services, battery rental and lease programs, and used battery-related ventures.

Kia is already collaborating with ‘Ola,’ which offers various mobility services in India, and ‘Grab,’ Southeast Asia’s largest ride-hailing company. In Spain, Kia has partnered with local energy company ‘Repsol’ to provide a car-sharing service called ‘Wible.’ Launched locally in September 2018, Wible operates with about 500 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles and has 130,000 members, earning recognition as a successful car-sharing service in Europe.

In addition to EVs, Kia is focusing on developing new mobility means such as PBVs. The PBV market is expected to grow rapidly due to the surge in e-commerce and vehicle-sharing services. Kia plans to introduce PBVs based on a skateboard platform that can accommodate various bodies. Through this, Kia will offer customized PBVs targeting corporate customers, including shared service vehicles, low-floor logistics transport, and delivery vehicles.

Kia held the 'New Kia Brand Showcase' on the 15th through its global brand website. At the event, Kia President Song Ho-sung announced the new mission and the direction of the new brand. Photo by Kia