Kia has announced that it will commence sales of its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) models in Japan in early 2026.
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The Hyundai Motor Group brand says expansion into the Japanese market represents the latest key pillar of Kia’s global PBV strategy, following presentations of the brand’s PBV concept models and PBV business ecosystem at CES 2024 in Las Vegas in North America, the Busan Mobility Show in Korea and IAA in Europe.
Kia will develop a range of PBVs specifically to meet customers’ needs in the Japanese market. The brand will launch its first PBV model, the PV5, in early 2026.
Revealed at CES in Las Vegas in January in PV5 Concept guise, the vehicle is being developed as a mid-size model to meet the scalability of ‘various business streams’ in the Japanese market.
Kia also plans to create a PBV ecosystem through cooperation and partnerships with various local companies. The Kia PV7 will follow the launch of the PV5 in Japan.
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By GlobalDataSangdae Kim, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia PBV Business Division, said: “We look forward to commencing PBV sales and delivering customer-centered value with the evolution of Kia’s business in the Japanese market. We will continue to introduce various PBV-related solutions optimized for local-market characteristics to satisfy the demands of our Japanese customers.”
What is a PBV?
Kia says its PBV total mobility solution combines fit-for-purpose EVs with advanced software solutions based on Hyundai Motor Group’s software-defined everything – or SDx – strategy. It is claimed that adopting a dedicated PBV platform enables users to set product specifications according to their specific needs, with a high degree of freedom to determine factors such as seating layout, luggage compartment shape, door options, battery capacity and more.
As a Platform Beyond Vehicle, Kia says its PBVs enable existing businesses to significantly improve cost-competitiveness and deliver greater value to customers through bespoke product solutions, while opening the door to new companies by redefining the concept of space thanks to advanced, tailored interiors that provide ultimate freedom and flexibility.
To build a PBV ecosystem that meets customers’ needs as effectively as possible, Kia has entered a strategic partnership with Japanese trading company Sojitz Corporation. Engaged in a wide range of businesses globally, including transportation and infrastructure, Sojitz is ideally positioned to serve as the distributor for Kia PBVs in Japan, Kia maintains.
Before commencing PBV sales in Japan in early 2026, Kia will continue to showcase its PBV models and PBV business ecosystem at mobility shows, and by creating offline opportunities for customers to experience the brand’s PBV technology in person.
To meet global demand for its PBVs, Kia is currently building a new ‘EVO Plant’. Located within the brand’s Autoland facility in Hwaseong, Korea, the plant is Kia’s first PBV EV-dedicated manufacturing facility.
Kia sees commercial PBVs as a key driver of future growth and plans establish a strong early presence in this segment. It has set a target of 1.5m cumulative sales globally by 2030.
