Kia plans to extend its WiBLE car sharing service to new regions, the automaker announced at the CES show here in Las Vegas on Monday.
The service, launched in South Korea in 2017, will be introduced in “certain European markets and cities” from late 2018. Other markets will be added later.
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WiBLE, a portmanteau of “widely accessible”, will be available in designated areas in city centres, providing vehicles to customers who need to drive but may not own a vehicle or who just want more convenient driving.
Korean users can access Kia models including the Soul EV, Niro hybrid and larger vehicles.
All are equipped with active safety technologies “to help customers complete journeys safely in a car with which they may not be familiar”, Kia said.
“This format is expected to be carried over into new markets.”
WiBLE is accessed via an accompanying smartphone app. Users pay for individual journeys according to the period of use.
In Europe, users will be able to complete one-way journeys rather than returning the car to the same point “for maximum convenience and value for money”.
The first European locations will be announced later this year.
