Kia is launching full-scale cooperation with Motability, the U.K.'s largest lease vehicle operator for people with disabilities.
On the 3rd, at the Kia headquarters (Seocho-gu, Seoul), Kia President Song Ho-sung, Kim Sang-dae, head of the PBV Business Division, Motability CEO Andrew Miller, Motability CCO Damian Oton and other key officials attended a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding to expand PBV deployment in the U.K.
Motability has about 860,000 customers and owns about 35,000 WAVs (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) and about 94,000 EVs. It also conducts various activities to improve mobility rights for people with disabilities, including developing the eVITA, an electric concept model that allows wheelchair boarding.
The memorandum of understanding was reached as both parties, sharing an understanding of mobility convenience for all customers including wheelchair users and the direction of electrification in the auto industry, focused on design possibilities that improve accessibility for people with reduced mobility and agreed to proactively respond to global market demands for electrified mobility for people with reduced mobility by leveraging Kia's various PBV lineups, including the PV5 WAV.
The PV5 WAV is a vehicle that reflects Kia's determination to provide people with reduced mobility greater freedom of movement.
The PV5 WAV features a universal design concept friendly to all users including family members, caregivers and drivers, a side boarding and alighting method designed for wheelchair users, a wheelchair belt fixation system, functions such as third-row tip-up seats that allow a guardian to ride along and assist a wheelchair user, a spacious interior and a structure that allows a wheelchair to be folded and stored in the trunk.
In addition, the PV5 WAV is scheduled to be produced at the dedicated PBV plant 'Hwaseong EVO Plant,' which mass-produces the PV5, and is expected to contribute to sustainability by reducing unnecessary waste of resources.
Kia plans to take the first step toward realizing inclusive mobility in the electrification era by introducing the PV5 WAV model to the market.
Kia will supply Motability with the PV5 base model and the PV5 WAV, and Motability plans to offer services using those vehicles locally in the U.K. starting in 2026.
Through this memorandum of understanding, Kia is expected to secure leadership in developing electrified WAVs, and Motability is expected to set mid- to long-term electrification transition goals and create additional customer value.
During the collaboration, the two companies will proceed with WAV development cooperation for each PBV lineup, and will also continue to collaborate in next-generation energy management technology fields such as smart charging solutions to reduce customers' charging expense burdens and V2H (Vehicle to Home) and V2G (Vehicle to Grid).
The two companies will also collect various information related to the WAV market to be used in developing a WAV conversion model of Kia's upcoming large PBV, the PV7.
Kia President Song Ho-sung said, "The PV5 WAV is the best example of Kia PBV technology's potential to contribute to improving mobility rights and convenience for people with mobility disadvantages," and added, "This MOU with Motability demonstrates Kia's commitment to leading a future in which everyone can enjoy the benefits of sustainable mobility."
Motability CEO Andrew Miller said, "Motability's eVITA concept showed how effective inclusive design can be when integrated from the early stages of vehicle development, and this MOU with Kia is an important step toward making that vision a reality," and added, "This collaboration will advance Motability's long-term electrification and environmental goals related to developing the industry's first electrified WAV model with side boarding and alighting, while providing tangible value to lease customers who need innovative WAVs."
Under the vision of being a sustainable mobility solutions provider, Kia conducts various activities to improve mobility rights, including Green Travel, a social contribution project that provides travel opportunities for people with reduced mobility.
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