Kia wants to build EVs that can be easily reconfigured for different uses, ranging from ordinary passenger cars to taxis and delivery vehicles. The automaker previewed this strategy, called the Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV), at CES 2024, showing the first potential vehicle designs.
All PBV derivatives will be based on a modular platform with a fixed cab, but all bodywork aft of the cab will be interchangeable, allowing the same vehicle to serve as a taxi during the day, a delivery van at night, and a personal car on weekends, Kia says. If this sounds familiar, it’s because Kia first mentioned the PBV strategy in April 2023, but at that time, the acronym stood for “Purpose-Built Vehicle.”
The rear bodywork, which Kia calls the “life module,” is connected to the chassis via electromagnetic and mechanical couplings. These modules will be shipped in kit form and designed to be easily assembled outside a factory setting. Kia says they’ll incorporate features like large doors to make ingress and egress easy, adding that the basic EV platform creates a large flat floor ideal for stowing cargo.
At CES, Kia showed the Concept PV5, previewing the first planned PBV production model. Kia plans to offer “basic,” van, high roof, and chassis cab configurations, as well as a self-driving version for a planned autonomous ride-hailing service from Motional, a joint venture between Kia parent Hyundai and autonomous-driving tech firm Aptiv.
The PV5 will be followed by a larger model called the PV7 and a smaller model called the PV1. They’ll be built at a dedicated factory in Hwaseong, South Korea, that’s scheduled to open in 2025 and will be able to build 150,000 vehicles per year, according to Kia.
In addition to the vehicles themselves, Kia hopes to create an aftermarket ecosystem of accessories that can be mounted on a standardized rail system built into the ceiling, floor, and side panels of the vehicles. According to Kia, this can accommodate everything from cabinets and shelves to speakers, and the automaker plans to contract with conversion shops in different markets to install them. There will also be bundles of software, including fleet management systems for the commercial operators likely to use the PBVs in their delivery van, taxi, and autonomous ride-hailing configurations.
The multiple body styles, range of accessories installed by third-party firms, and fleet-management software all seem borrowed from the commercial van market. But commercial vans also seem like a better model for the delivery vehicles and ride-hailing of the future than the hodgepodge of sedans and SUVs doing the majority of Uber or GrubHub runs today.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.