Uber, KIA sign EV partnership

Uber, the U.S. ride-hailing platform, signed a partnership with South Korea’s KIA to produce electric vehicles (EVs), AFP reported on Thursday.
The agreement was signed during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
The automaker showcased the new vehicles on Monday, including one standard base model with interchanging components and upper bodies which can help it create a variety of types.
The company called their new vehicle the “Platform Beyond Vehicle” (PBV)
Kia’s PV5 will have the ability to transform from a passenger vehicle to a van to a pick-up using its interchangeable modules.
“While all variants will be based on the same modular versatility of the base model, each will offer a unique set of characteristics, with further Uber-specific optimisations tailored for the ride hailing market,” Uber and Kia said in a joint statement.
The partnership will offer more EVs on Uber’s mobility platform.
“Drivers on the Uber platform are already EV early adopters, going electric six to seven times faster than the general population in the U.S. and Europe,” said Susan Anderson, Uber’s VP global head of business development.
The company aims to produce 150,000 PBVs by 2025, increasing the rate to reach 300,000 per year by 2030.