A startup CEO in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, recently made an unconventional decision. The CEO removed a meeting room in the office and introduced a mobile office vehicle instead. For important meetings, the team moves to Hangang Park to conduct meetings, as the open space is believed to foster more creative ideas. The boundaries of workspaces are dissolving.

This change in boundaries is not limited to office spaces. Automobiles are also being reinterpreted beyond the framework of transportation means, as the boundary between work and life blurs. Cars are evolving from mere transportation means to 'moving lifestyle spaces.'

A Paradigm Shift in Mobility

The concept of automobiles is changing. A new era is arriving where cars are designed and operated according to the purposes, uses, and lifestyles of users/drivers. At the center of this change is the concept of 'PBV (Purpose Built Vehicle).'

PBV is based on purpose-centered thinking about 'why we move.' It is not simply modifying existing vehicles to fit a purpose but designing and manufacturing vehicles with a specific purpose in mind from the start. Examples of PBV applications include taxis optimized for wheelchair users, small electric delivery vehicles, mobile cafes, and camping accommodations.


The global mobility industry is already focusing on the potential of PBVs. According to Orion Market Research (2023), the global PBV market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 6.1% from 2023 to 2030, and Hyundai Motor Group also predicted that its annual PBV production, which was at 320,000 units in 2020, will expand to 1.3 million units by 2025.

Automakers worldwide are responding swiftly to this market change. GM is actively implementing its PBV strategy in the electric commercial vehicle market through its 'BrightDrop' brand in 2024 and is commercializing last-mile delivery solutions with companies like Amazon, connecting PBV concept vehicles to the actual market.

Ford is also strengthening its position in the PBV market with the 'E-Transit' model. The E-Transit offers three roof height options and two body length options, providing 19 configurations that can be modified for various uses. Especially for the diverse custom solutions required in the commercial vehicle market, it implements PBV flexibility through chassis cab and customizing models.

Mercedes-Benz has even more ambitious plans. Next year, it plans to launch all newly developed vans based on the 'VAN.EA (Van Electric Architecture)' platform, which is designed with a modular structure encompassing both commercial and luxury personal vans. Mercedes-Benz announced that it expects more than 50% of its global van sales to be electric vans by 2030. This is a differentiation strategy through premium positioning in the PBV market, going beyond mere electrification.

In Korea, PBV is also being concretized as a future strategic business. Kia's first PBV model, 'PV5,' has moved beyond the concept stage and is currently being sold. PV5 began pre-orders in June and has been delivered to customers since August, with plans to expand the full lineup to include PV7, PV9, and the ultra-compact PV1. Additionally, Kia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Uber in January this year to provide PV5-based vehicles for Uber drivers. PBV is becoming an important turning point, moving from a new car concept to actual field application.

From Special Vehicles to PBV, Continuity of Technology and Business Model Transformation

The essence of PBV is 'customized structure.' Through a modular system, it is manufactured by reflecting the functions and elements desired by the user from the design stage. This is in line with existing special vehicle technology. Special vehicle technology, which has been designed with different interior configurations, functions, and safety facilities according to the needs of industrial sites, is now expanding to lifestyle-customized vehicles for general consumers. In other words, PBV is an evolved form of special vehicles and an expansion into the lifestyle-centered mobility market.

Key domestic companies strategically responding to the technological continuity and market expandability of PBV include KC Motors and Chabot Mobility. KC Motors has grown into a company with the highest level of automotive design and special vehicle manufacturing capabilities in Korea, starting with the development and production of the Kia Carnival High Limousine in 2006.

In particular, through its R&D center established in 2012, it has secured infrastructure to independently carry out the entire vehicle development process from planning to styling, engineering design, prototyping, and mass production. This leads to technological competitiveness that can quickly realize customer-customized designs based on various base vehicles.


The premium limousine brand 'Noble Klasse,' born from such technological prowess, has established a unique position in the luxury protocol vehicle market. The 'L13' model, based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter released in 2021, introduced a new concept of 'personal private jet on the road,' attracting market attention. Recently, the capabilities in special vehicles and customized design are also expanding into the autonomous shuttle field. KC Motors is expanding its portfolio by designing A2Z's (Automous A to Z) Level 4 autonomous shuttle 'ROii.'


Noble Klasse currently takes the form of conversion vehicles that customize existing vehicles for specific purposes. This becomes the core technological base for KC Motors to evolve into the PBV market. In fact, KC Motors is building full-fledged PBV development capabilities to plan and manufacture platforms tailored to specific purposes, based on this know-how in customized vehicle production.

Chabot Mobility has also established a digital dealership exclusive agreement, creating a new turning point within the PBV trend. This collaboration goes beyond merely expanding distribution channels, aiming to implement the high-value customized vehicle sales model, which was centered offline, in a digital environment, thereby transitioning the PBV experience from 'product' to 'service.' It is noteworthy in that it has laid the foundation for evolving into not only short-term sales but also long-term service models.

Customers can easily compare various vehicle options online through Chabot Mobility's 'Digital Concierge Service' and utilize integrated services encompassing insurance, finance, construction, and vehicle management all at once. Subsequently, the two companies plan to introduce vehicle subscription products specialized for various lifestyles, allowing customers to flexibly choose and experience mobility that fits their daily lives without owning a vehicle.



Meanwhile, Chabot Mobility, together with KC Motors, analyzes customer usage patterns and regional preferences as data, establishing a virtuous cycle structure that connects customized vehicle planning, marketing, and after-sales management based on this. It is a paradigm shift from 'making cars well' to 'using cars well,' proving that the PBV market is evolving from the manufacturing industry to the service-oriented mobility industry.

Strategic Collaboration in the PBV Market, New Synergy

PBV is not just a new car trend but a paradigm shift in the industry that redefines the concept of movement itself. Global OEM manufacturers are already expanding their PBV lineup by establishing dedicated platforms and production systems, and governments and local governments are also actively introducing PBVs in public areas such as last-mile logistics, wheelchair-accessible taxis, and mobile clinics. Now, vehicles are evolving into spaces that encapsulate 'how to live,' rather than asking 'where to go.' And these two companies are finding answers on who will design that space and how.

IT Donga Reporter Moon-Kyu Lee (munch@itdonga.com)

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