Kia is expanding its supply of purpose-built vehicles (PBV) in the Japanese taxi market. The company aims to introduce 1,000 PBVs by 2030 in collaboration with local passenger transport companies, establishing a business foundation that encompasses vehicle sales, maintenance, and parts supply.
On November 3, Kia announced that it recently signed a memorandum of understanding with MK Holdings at its Yangjae headquarters regarding PBV business cooperation in Japan. MK Holdings operates various mobility services, including taxis and tourist buses, across eight cities in Japan, including Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya.
Kia plans to enhance its PBV supply in Japan and develop PBV solutions optimized for local market and customer demands. To this end, the company will initially supply 40 PV5 units to MK Holdings by the end of this year, with plans to gradually increase this number to a total of 1,000 PBVs by 2030. Currently, four PV5 units have been supplied and have been operating as MK taxi vehicles in the Kyoto area since the end of last month.
MK Holdings intends to incorporate PBVs into its fleet for various services, including taxis, premium chauffeur services, and airport pickups, and plans to expand the introduction of these vehicles.
Kia PBV Japan is responsible for establishing a local sales and service network. Launched last year, Kia PBV Japan is a wholly-owned subsidiary established by the prominent Japanese trading company Sojitz to develop Kia's PBV business in Japan.
Kim Sang-dae, Vice President of Kia's PBV Business Division, stated, "This memorandum of understanding marks the starting point for strategic cooperation to explore new possibilities for PBV utilization in the Japanese market. We will expand our partnership by combining Kia's PBV product competitiveness, MK Holdings' mobility business experience, and Kia PBV Japan's local operational capabilities."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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