Kia has just previewed the first in its long line of ‘purpose-built vehicles’ in the form of the all-new Niro Plus. The Kia Niro Plus will initially be sold in Korea before launching in select overseas markets. In Korea, it hasn’t just been designed for use among the general public but an all-electric version has been developed for local taxi operators.
To create the Niro Plus, Kia has increased
its length by 10 mm and increased the height by 80 mm all in a bid to improve interior space. The taxi model has also been
equipped with thinner seats and door trims and also features an All-in-One
Display that will remove the need for taxi operators to have multiple devices
and screens. This new display will include navigation, an app taximeter,
digital tachograph, and voice recognition and will also include data on
relevant points of interest and locations of nearby EV charging stations.
The non-taxi version of the Kia Niro Plus
will be available in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric guises. Kia says the
Niro Plus could be ideal for small business owners to use for work during the
week while doubling as the perfect vehicle to use for leisure activities on the
weekend, such as camping.
Kia is developing a plethora of
purpose-built vehicles and plans to become a market leader by 2030. It will
launch its first dedicated PBV in 2025 underpinned by its eS scalable
skateboard platform. Among the PBVs being planned include a mid-size model for
ride-hailing and delivery services, a ‘micro’ model for robo-delivery, an
autonomous PBV to serve as a robotaxi, and a large PBV perfect for cargo and
shuttle services.
