Kia said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Motability, the United Kingdom’s largest vehicle leasing company for people with disabilities, to promote the adoption of electrified mobility solutions for those with reduced mobility.
Motability serves about 860,000 customers in the UK and operates some 35,000 wheelchair-accessible vehicles and 94,000 electric vehicles. The organization also recently developed the eVITA, a concept model for a wheelchair-accessible EV.
Under the partnership, Kia will provide its purpose-built vehicle, or PBV, models — including the PV5 base and PV5 WAV, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle — to be introduced in the UK starting in 2026. The PV5 WAV features a universal design suitable for wheelchair users, caregivers and drivers, with a side-entry system described by Motability CEO Andrew Miller as “a significant step toward realizing the industry’s first side-entry electrified WAV.”
The model includes a wheelchair restraint system and a third-row tip-up seat to assist users. It is to be produced at Kia’s dedicated PBV plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.
Kia and Motability also plan to collaborate on other PBV projects, including a WAV version of the upcoming large PV7 model, and to develop smart charging and energy management technologies such as vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid systems.
“The PV5 WAV showcases the potential of Kia’s PBV technology to enhance accessibility and convenience for mobility-challenged individuals," said Kia CEO Song Ho-sung. "The agreement underscores Kia’s commitment to a future where everyone can benefit from sustainable mobility."
andreahaneu@heraldcorp.com
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