Kia Unveils New EV Platform at CES 2024

Kia America has officially unveiled the next evolution of its EV ecosystem at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Kia has named this evolution “Platform Beyond Vehicle” (PBV) and is initially introducing a concept modular Kia PV5 as a part of the platform.

In total, Kia America unveiled five Kia PBV concept models at the annual trade show.  They consist of three Concept PV5 iterations, a Concept PV7, and a Concept PV1. These vehicles are designed to be modular and adaptable to each owner’s unique needs and desires. Kia’s PBVs are designed to open the door to new businesses and lifestyles by redefining how interior space is used within vehicles. The interior space of all of these new concept vehicles is designed to provide freedom and flexibility.

“Kia’s PBV business represents our vision of going beyond the traditional concept of automobiles by fulfilling the unmet needs of diverse customers and communities through optimized vehicles and services catering to specific market and business circumstances,” said Ho Sung Song, Kia Corporation President and CEO.

The rollout of the platform is divided into three distinct phases. Throughout these phases, Kia will be bringing together new and unique vehicles, software, and future technologies, all designed to deliver added value together.

The PV5 is part of the first phase of this plan and is a versatile EV optimized for hailing, delivery, and utilities. It will feature enhanced data connectivity between multiple vehicles allowing businesses to use PV5s as fleet vehicles that share route or delivery information between vehicles.

Phase two will feature PBVs evolving into AI-based mobility platforms that use data to interact with users. Kia plans to roll out all of the upcoming EV models during this phase, including the PV7 and the PV1. For consumers, these vehicles will provide a seamless experience across their devices and their vehicle’s software.

Phase three is when the vehicles will become truly customizable for any end user, whether they are a business or a typical consumer. Kia’s strategy is to design a single-vehicle chassis that can be molded to meet multiple mobility needs. Behind the cabin a variety of interchangeable upper bodies can be connected to the base vehicle via a hybrid electromagnetic and mechanical coupling technology, allowing the car to transform between a taxi during the day, a delivery van at night, and a personal recreational vehicle on weekends.

Additionally, Kia unveiled its Kia Connected Home system at CES 2024. Kia hosted a two-story preview demonstration on the show floor that showed off the EV9’s bidirectional vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging capabilities and the EV6’s onboard power generator (V2L) functionality.

As the first Kia vehicle to feature V2H capabilities, the EV9 offers the potential to enable powerful bi-directional charging features in a connected home. As a part of the Kia Connected Home, the EV9 will be able to connect to a wall box unit (coming soon) that can facilitate bidirectional charging and the ability for the EV9 to act as a mobile power source. The box is designed to automatically initiate the charging when the vehicle is plugged into it. In the event of a power outage, it can switch the direction of charging to draw power from the EV9 into the home. Once the power grid is restored, the wall unit will seamlessly switch power back to charging the vehicle. On top of this, the unit will be able to intelligently determine times when it is more power efficient for the EV9’s battery to power the home, based on high electricity rates.

All of these evolutions will be rolled out as a part of Kia’s future EV platform plans, and as such these are just conceptual designs that are still a long way out. Expect the designs and functionalities to change by the time they hit the consumer market. For updates on these future releases and more, keep in touch with us here at Kia Country of Charleston.