Hyundai Wia Corporation, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, announced it is ready to enter the automotive air conditioning segment for the first time, according to local reports. The company is known as a manufacturer of vehicle chassis modules, engines, transmission and thermal management systems, as well as defense and aerospace equipment.

Hyundai Wia recently signed an agreement to supply heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for the forthcoming Kia PV5 battery-powered light van, as well as an integrated thermal control system for the vehicle’s electric drive motors and battery system.

Kia recently held a tech-day for the innovative PV5, ahead of its launch later this year. The vehicle is based on Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service (E-GMP.S), which the company says is designed to optimizing interior space usage and safety. Its Flexible Body System is based on a modular design to support different end-user applications, with 16 variants planned for passenger and cargo transportation.

Hyundai Wia confirmed that it recently completed the development of its HVAC system for the PV5, and that it has already begun mass production. The HVAC module was designed specifically to suit the requirements of battery-powered vehicles, by minimizing the number of parts and overall weight, as well as to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).

The HVAC and thermal management systems have undergone extensive performance testing at the company’s thermal management test facility in Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, which was completed in 2023. The company claims to have conducted extensive durability tests in different environments and road conditions in South Korea, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

The company confirmed that it plans to launch mass production of HVAC systems for internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles in 2027, initially to supply the successor to the current Hyundai Kona model.