Kia, KEPCO partner up to explore new PVB mobility business

Kia signed an MOU with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to collaborate on building a future electrification and power ecosystem using Kia’s Purpose-Built Vehicles (PBVs). (Kia)

Kia Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) Wednesday. The automaker’s partnership with South Korea’s state-owned utility is to develop a novel business model for electrification and power generation, with the initiative particularly centered around purpose-built vehicles (PBVs).

The two sides will collaborate on developing PBVs tailored to KEPCO‘s business needs, such as power distribution and sales, as well as jointly creating a fleet management system (FMS) to enhance operational efficiency.

The partnership will focus on developing new charging technologies to keep pace with EV demand.