- Motability Operations and Kia sign MOU to enhance accessible mobility and advance electrification of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
- Kia PV5 and its WAV variant will be introduced in the UK under the Motability Scheme in first half of 2026, followed by the launch of PV5 WAV later in the year
- Strategic partnership to boost Kia PBV’s quality, marketability, and production efficiency enhancing the ability to convert vehicles for wheelchair access
- The parties will explore smart charging solutions and energy management technologies, including Vehicle-to-Home and Vehicle-to-Grid systems
Kia Corporation (Kia) and Motability Operations Limited, the company which runs the Motability Scheme in the UK, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming their mutual commitment towards electrification and enhancing personal mobility through care for the environment.
The key objective of this collaboration is to bring to market an affordable, fully electric, side-entry Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), while advancing inclusive mobility through Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) lineup to meet the accessibility and electrification needs of all individuals.
The WAV will be designed, built and sold by Kia, and based on its PBV architecture. Motability Operations will support the development process by providing customer insights into the UK WAV market. The partnership aims to ensure disabled people that need WAVs will have more affordable options to choose from, whether vehicles are built in plant or converted by specialists.
Kia’s first PBV model, the PV5, will be introduced as a passenger vehicle in the UK market under the Motability Scheme, with locally converted WAV variants available in first half of 2026. The PV5 WAV is expected to enter the market in late 2026.
Through this strategic collaboration, Kia aims to enhance the quality and marketability of its PBV lineup, beginning with PV5 and extending to future models such as PV7, and potential WAVs produced directly at Kia’s manufacturing facilities.
“There is no better demonstration of the commitment towards Kia’s vision of ‘Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider’ than the innovative independence that the PV5 WAV offers to those facing mobility challenges,” said President Ho Sung Song. “The signing of this MOU with Motability Operations reinforces our commitment to leading a future where ‘Mobility for All’ is both sustainable and a basic human right.”
“The eVITA concept was built to create a conversation about inclusive design. This new MoU with Kia shows that vision is becoming a reality, with factory and conversion eWAVs that are built with accessibility in mind from the beginning.,” said Andrew Miller, CEO of Motability Operations.
“By sharing our customer and WAV market insight with Kia’s design teams, we’re taking the next step toward creating a purpose-built electric WAV. This collaboration supports our long-term goals and helps us take the next step in creating a purpose-built electric WAV to protect disabled people’s mobility through the EV transition.”
Beyond the vehicle itself, Kia and Motability Operations are exploring smart charging solutions that allow customers to automatically charge when tariffs are lowest, helping reduce running costs which will benefit all drivers. The partnership will also look at how technologies such as Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) can further reduce total cost of ownership and support the wider sustainability transition.
Kia’s PV5 WAV is designed to provide freedom of movement not only for wheelchair users, but their families, caregivers and drivers as well. The vehicle will enable users to enjoy more convenient, comfortable and accessible travel while seamlessly transitioning to electric mobility. A side-entry system enables easy curb-side access to enhance safety and convenience. It will also feature a quick-use, 300kg-rated wheelchair entry ramp and a specially developed wheelchair belt fastening system, while a third-row tip-up seat enables caregivers to assist wheelchair passengers from the side.
The PV5 WAV side-entry variant will be manufactured entirely at Kia’s Hwaseong EVO Plant in Korea, using the company’s Made-In-Plant system. The entire manufacturing process has been designed to be ecologically sustainable and further reduce barriers of entry for those who need an accessible vehicle. Beyond hardware innovations, the PV5 WAV will also integrate necessary applications for disabled people based on the AAOS open software platform.
This agreement builds on Motability Operations’ development of the eVITA concept eWAV, which was created to engage car manufacturers about opportunities for accessible design as the industry shifts to electric.
Kia is the first manufacturer to use some of these insights to introduce a fully electric ‘made-in-plant’ Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle to the market, the first step in integrating wheelchair accessibility in the EV era.
