Kia and CJ Freshway Sign MOU for PBV Development and Supply to Innovate Food Ingredient Distribution

Exclusive PBV Model Collaboration... Supply Starting from 2025

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Kia is accelerating its efforts to secure competitiveness in the global PBV market by developing eco-friendly purpose-built mobility (PBV) optimized for cold chain food material distribution in collaboration with CJ Freshway, and providing related solutions and services.

On the 21st, Kia held a ceremony at its headquarters in Yangjae-dong, attended by key figures including Kia President Song Hoseong, CJ Freshway CEO Jeong Seongpil, Kia eLCV Business Division Head Kim Sangdae, and CJ Freshway Distribution Business Division Head Kim Jinjoong, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for PBV development and supply cooperation aimed at innovating food material distribution with CJ Freshway.

This year, Kia signed PBV business cooperation MOUs with leading domestic distribution and logistics delivery companies such as Coupang and CJ Logistics, and plans to continuously strengthen its PBV business through related cooperation with CJ Freshway, a leading company in food material distribution.

According to the agreement, starting next year, Kia will first supply about 30 Bongo III EV refrigerated trucks to support CJ Freshway’s eco-friendly transition of delivery vehicles, and ultimately develop PBVs optimized for CJ Freshway’s cold chain food material distribution business to be supplied from 2025.

Specifically, CJ Freshway will propose detailed requirements based on its experience using the Bongo III EV refrigerated trucks, and Kia will reflect these in the development of dedicated PBV models. Notably, through this agreement, not only will about 200 one-ton delivery vehicles currently operated by CJ Freshway be converted to dedicated PBVs developed by Kia, but the conversion of approximately 800 delivery vehicles owned by partner logistics companies and small business owners will also be encouraged.

Beyond PBV development, the two companies will gradually collaborate on various solutions and technologies related to PBVs from a distribution innovation perspective, including ▲providing business-customized charging solutions ▲offering vehicle control systems to improve PBV operation management efficiency ▲developing delivery assistance devices.

In the long term, they also plan to jointly promote related projects such as the demonstration of worker wearable robots to improve efficiency at CJ Freshway logistics centers, leveraging Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics technology and collaboration with startups.

Kia President Song Hoseong stated, “Through strategic cooperation with CJ Freshway, we aim to innovate the domestic food material distribution market by developing cold chain-specialized purpose-built vehicles and related solutions,” adding, “We will continue efforts to secure competitiveness in the PBV business by discovering PBV customers across various industries and providing specialized vehicles and customized services.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.