- Motability Operations and Kia signal MOU to reinforce accessible mobility and advance electrification of Wheelchair Accessible Autos
- Kia PV5 and its WAV variant shall be launched within the UK below the Motability Scheme in first half of 2026, adopted by the launch of PV5 WAV later within the yr
- Strategic partnership to spice up Kia PBV’s high quality, marketability, and manufacturing effectivity enhancing the power to transform automobiles for wheelchair entry
- The events will discover sensible charging options and power administration applied sciences, together with Car-to-House and Car-to-Grid methods
Kia Company (Kia) and Motability Operations Restricted, the corporate which runs the Motability Scheme within the UK, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming their mutual dedication in the direction of electrification and enhancing private mobility by way of look after the surroundings.
The important thing goal of this collaboration is to convey to market an reasonably priced, absolutely electrical, side-entry Wheelchair Accessible Car (WAV), whereas advancing inclusive mobility by way of Kia’s Platform Past Car (PBV) lineup to satisfy the accessibility and electrification wants of all people.
The WAV shall be designed, constructed and bought by Kia, and based mostly on its PBV structure. Motability Operations will help the event course of by offering buyer insights into the UK WAV market. The partnership goals to make sure disabled those who want WAVs could have extra reasonably priced choices to select from, whether or not automobiles are inbuilt plant or transformed by specialists.
Kia’s first PBV mannequin, the PV5, shall be launched as a passenger automobile within the UK market below the Motability Scheme, with regionally transformed WAV variants out there in first half of 2026. The PV5 WAV is anticipated to enter the market in late 2026.
By means of this strategic collaboration, Kia goals to reinforce the standard and marketability of its PBV lineup, starting with PV5 and increasing to future fashions corresponding to PV7, and potential WAVs produced instantly at Kia’s manufacturing services.
“There isn’t any higher demonstration of the dedication in the direction of Kia’s imaginative and prescient of ‘Sustainable Mobility Options Supplier’ than the revolutionary independence that the PV5 WAV affords to these going through mobility challenges,” mentioned President Ho Sung Tune. “The signing of this MOU with Motability Operations reinforces our dedication to main a future the place ‘Mobility for All’ is each sustainable and a fundamental human proper.”
“The eVITA idea was constructed to create a dialog about inclusive design. This new MoU with Kia exhibits that imaginative and prescient is changing into a actuality, with manufacturing facility and conversion eWAVs which are constructed with accessibility in thoughts from the start.,” mentioned Andrew Miller, CEO of Motability Operations.
“By sharing our buyer and WAV market perception with Kia’s design groups, we’re taking the subsequent step towards making a purpose-built electrical WAV. This collaboration helps our long-term targets and helps us take the subsequent step in making a purpose-built electrical WAV to guard disabled folks’s mobility by way of the EV transition.”
Past the automobile itself, Kia and Motability Operations are exploring sensible charging options that enable prospects to mechanically cost when tariffs are lowest, serving to cut back working prices which is able to profit all drivers. The partnership may even take a look at how applied sciences corresponding to Car-to-House (V2H) and Car-to-Grid (V2G) can additional cut back whole price of possession and help the broader sustainability transition.
Kia’s PV5 WAV is designed to supply freedom of motion not just for wheelchair customers, however their households, caregivers and drivers as properly. The automobile will allow customers to get pleasure from extra handy, comfy and accessible journey whereas seamlessly transitioning to electrical mobility. A side-entry system allows simple curb-side entry to reinforce security and comfort. It would additionally characteristic a quick-use, 300kg-rated wheelchair entry ramp and a specifically developed wheelchair belt fastening system, whereas a third-row tip-up seat allows caregivers to help wheelchair passengers from the aspect.
The PV5 WAV side-entry variant shall be manufactured totally at Kia’s Hwaseong EVO Plant in Korea, utilizing the corporate’s Made-In-Plant system. Your complete manufacturing course of has been designed to be ecologically sustainable and additional cut back boundaries of entry for individuals who want an accessible automobile. Past {hardware} improvements, the PV5 WAV may even combine essential functions for disabled folks based mostly on the AAOS open software program platform.
This settlement builds on Motability Operations’ growth of the eVITA idea eWAV, which was created to have interaction automobile producers about alternatives for accessible design because the trade shifts to electrical.
Kia is the primary producer to make use of a few of these insights to introduce a totally electrical ‘made-in-plant’ Wheelchair Accessible Car to the market, step one in integrating wheelchair accessibility within the EV period.
