Kia is celebrating the start of work on a factory that will produce around 150,000 electric commercial vehicles per year. The facility is part of a larger plan to make the brand one of the world’s three biggest EV manufacturers by 2030.
The automaker expects the plant to be up and running by 2025, and it will invest one trillion won ($755 million USD at current exchange rates) to buy 99,000 acres of land for the project. The first vehicle produced at the plant has yet to be unveiled, but is being called the SW, internally.
Kia plans to unveil the van in 2025, and it will be based on its eS platform. The dedicated electric skateboard chassis will underpin what the automaker calls a “purpose-built vehicle.” Tall enough for an adult to stand in, the vehicle is envisioned as being useful for delivery companies, multi-seat shuttles, robotaxis, and more.
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Just the first of many vehicles based on the platform, Kia expects to be able to build up to 150,000 units at the plant in its first full year of production. It will also be capable of expanding production from there, should demand require it.
To facilitate the production of multiple vehicle for various purposes, the factory will use cutting edge technology, such as the cellular organizational method. This groups workstations that produce similar parts together to reduce the physical distance between them and speed up work.
Kia adds that the plant will lean on automated workstations to take over heavy-duty tasks that are challenging for human anatomy and comfort. It will also be a low-carbon facility, and will implement nature-friendly construction methods during the painting process, among others.
The project is part of a larger effort by Kia to become the third-largest EV manufacturer on earth by 2023. Together with Hyundai Motors and Hyundai Mobis, Kia will invest 24 trillion won ($18.1 billion USD) in Korean production of EVs by 2030.
“Our focus is to enhance the competitiveness of the entire electric vehicle ecosystem, including research and development, production, and infrastructure, and to lead the way in driving change and innovation in the new global automotive industry,” said Ho Sung Song, Kia’s CEO and president.
