Kia to build second ‘purpose-built vehicle’ plant in South Korea
By Jim Gibbins - 4th January 2024
Design images of KIA's future Special 'PBVs'
South Korea - Automotive and light CV maker, Kia Corporation, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company) has announced plans to build a second plant dedicated to the production of battery-powered purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) as the company looks to meet future demand for ‘custom-tailored’ transportation vehicles including large autonomous city buses, according to reports.
The new facility is scheduled to be completed in 2028 within the company’s Hwaseong manufacturing complex, near its first PBV plant which has been under construction since April 2023. With investment expected to reach KRW1trn (USD740m), the first facility is scheduled to begin production of smaller urban public transport vehicles from the second half of 2025. It will have a production capacity of 150,000 PBVs per year.
