Long dedicated to the production of military vehicles (it has already produced 140,000 vehicles for the armed forces) to Kia wants to apply all its experience in creating a standard platform for the next generation of this type of vehicle.
The goal of the South Korean brand is to create a platform that will serve as a base for the most varied types of military vehicles weighing between 2.5 and five tons.
It is Kia's intention to produce the first prototypes of medium-sized vehicles later this year, submit them for assessment by the South Korean government as early as 2021 and, if all goes according to plan, have the first models come into service in 2024.
According to Kia, these models will have a 7.0 l diesel engine and automatic transmission and will use systems such as ABS, parking assistant, navigation and even a monitor that allows you to observe what is happening around you. The creation of a modular platform will make it possible to create variants with specific equipment or armaments.
Hydrogen is also a bet
In addition to this new platform, Kia also plans to create an ATV not only for military use but also for leisure or industrial use, based on the chassis of the Kia Mohave, one of the South Korean brand's SUVs.
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Finally, Kia also seems committed to exploring the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the military context. According to Kia, this technology can be applied not only to military vehicles but also to emergency generators.
In the future, the South Korean brand plans to apply the experience and advances achieved in the development and production of vehicles for the army in its PBV (Purpose-Built Vehicle) projects.