"Lifting Parts from 3 Meters High"... Yellow Robotic Arms Dominate Kia’s PBV Factory

EVO Plant achieves annual production of 200,000 high-quality PBVs
Automation extends from body welding and parts transportation to emblem attachment
Enhanced precision in multi-variant PBV manufacturing
Production of PV7 and PV9 to begin at

The yellow robotic arm moved tirelessly. Bending its joints in all directions, it picked up components weighing several tens of kilograms from pallets stacked about 3 meters high. As it changed direction and moved the parts to the next process, another waiting robot received them. There was no human intervention.

On September 8, at the 'EVO Plant,' Kia Autoland Hwaseong's dedicated PBV factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, the first thing that drew attention was the robots. On this day, Kia held the 'PBV Production Hub Tech Day,' presenting the robotics technologies and data-driven quality management systems applied to assembly, logistics, and inspection processes, as well as the PBV conversion system.

A robotic arm is transporting parts at the 'Hwaseong EVO Plant,' a PBV-dedicated factory of Kia Autoland Hwaseong in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Lee Seungjin

Effortlessly Handling Parts Weighing Tens of Kilograms at 3 Meters High… Robots Glide Through the Factory

The EVO Plant consists of the East Plant, which produces PV5, and the West Plant, which will manufacture large electrified PBVs such as PV7 and PV9 in the future. The West Plant is scheduled for completion in June next year. Each plant has an annual production capacity of about 100,000 units.

Upon entering the body shop, robots were assembling the vehicle frames. Kia has adopted the '4-buck sequential assembly method,' which divides major body frame and exterior parts into four sequential assembly processes: inner buck, rail buck, outer buck, and roof buck. This approach allows for more flexibility in responding to changes in vehicle specifications and features, compared to the conventional method of assembling the body at a single station.

The welding process boasts a 100% automation rate. As robots move and weld the car bodies, sparks fly everywhere. For body areas that are difficult to reach with standard welding guns, the Laser Seam Stepper (L.S.S) welding technique using lasers has also been implemented.

The method for transporting body frames has also evolved. Two robots are synchronized to lift and carry the body together. Since PBVs have a different center of gravity compared to regular passenger cars, stable transfer is essential. For both body frames and parts logistics, AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) are deployed. AGVs, capable of carrying up to 1.5 tons, supply body frames and partner components to each production process respectively.

The logistics system enabling mixed-model production was also notable. The PV5 body shop handles over 180 different specifications. Instead of relying on the human eye to distinguish and assemble numerous parts, a data matrix is applied to components, and an automated warehouse based on QR codes is operated. Through smart tags that identify production information and location by vehicle, work proceeds only when the appropriate tools and equipment are correctly matched to each vehicle.

Automation goes beyond simply transporting parts. For moving parts such as doors, tailgates, and fenders, vision cameras measure the body’s position, and robots automatically adjust the installation based on this data. Instead of workers visually confirming exterior gaps and flushness, these measurements are now managed by data.

A robotic arm assembling parts at the ‘Hwaseong EVO Plant,’ Kia Autoland Hwaseong’s dedicated PBV factory located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Lee Seungjin

Automating Simple Repetitive Tasks… Humans Focus on More Important Work

Moving into the assembly plant, automation took on even more varied forms. The assembly plant covers about 45,900 square meters and operates 122 processes. Due to handling roughly 600 different types of components, the automation rate is relatively low at around the high 20% range. Parts that are flexible in form still need to be manually handled by workers.

Nevertheless, automation is rapidly expanding, mainly for heavy or repetitive tasks. A representative example is the automated installation of crash pads (dashboards). Previously, a worker had to manually enter the vehicle and install a crash pad weighing approximately 65 kilograms, but now robots handle the entire process from preparation to fastening. This not only eases the physical burden on workers but also enables data recording of fastening torque and status.

A particular highlight was the automated emblem attachment process. When a vehicle arrives, production information is transmitted to the equipment, and a robot determines which emblem to attach and where, based on the vehicle type—cargo, passenger, or chassis cab.

The robotic arm picks up the emblem using suction, lifts it, and removes the liner (release paper) from the back. This process engages a specialized sensor technology. Since partner companies supply emblems and the liner is manually attached, the amount of overhang left for removal varies on each product. The robot uses the sensor to identify the position and length of this margin and removes the liner precisely at the correct spot.

The attachment position is also precisely adjusted using a vision system. While minor misalignments may occur with manual labor, robots can consistently affix emblems at the designated location. This task, considered relatively simple for humans, is now handled by robots, allowing workers to focus on more complex work.

Automated process view of the 'Hwaseong EVO Plant,' Kia Autoland Hwaseong's PBV-exclusive factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Lee Seungjin

More Precise Than Humans… AI and Vision Detect 0.2mm Deviations

The automation rate differs between the body shop and the assembly plant. According to Kia, the automation rate of the EVO Plant East assembly line is in the high 20% range, while the body shop boasts 100% automation for welding and roughly 80% for parts handling. Overall, the automation rate for the body shop is in the low 80% range. In other words, out of 100 car assembly processes, 80 are performed without human hands.

Kia explained that, compared to the conventional Hwaseong plant, the EVO Plant's automation rate is about 9 percentage points higher. Through automation, the company anticipates operational and quality efficiency improvements of about 10%. However, since automated equipment operates based on much more data than humans, continual robot teaching and equipment maintenance are required during downtime such as weekends.

A plant official stated, "It's not operated in two shifts due to a technical issue," clarifying, "Equipment, just like workers, needs time to rest, and operating in this way—where equipment and workers coexist—is currently the optimized method for assuring quality."

PV5 open bed displayed at the Kia PBV Production Hub Tech Day. Photo by Lee Seungjin

Quality inspections are also becoming data-driven. In the assembly plant, 3D vision cameras scan the entire vehicle, and robots calibrate the vehicle’s position. The gaps and flushness at 21 points on both sides—such as the fender and door—are measured with a precision of ±0.2mm.

The exterior vision inspection system uses 18 cameras to automatically check the specifications of 24 exterior parts, including outside mirrors, door garnishes, fenders, and door handles. For headlamp aiming, robots and vision systems automatically adjust both light intensity and optical axes.

AI technology is also being applied to the production line. Kia is advancing its AI algorithms in tunnel-type exterior vision inspection to enhance exterior quality, and developing AI welding technologies in the body shop to ensure optimal welding quality for multiple types of panels.

More advanced production technology will be introduced at the EVO Plant West, which will manufacture PV7 and PV9 in the future. While automation at the East plant is currently in the high 20% range, the West aims for levels in the 30% range. Verified technologies from the East will be supplemented with AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) and AI-based systems in the West Plant.

Kia PBV Production Hub Tech Day Exhibition Featuring the PV5 Lineup. Kia

Expanding Custom Mobility Through Collaboration With Specialized Partners and a Technical Support System

The conversion ecosystem is also a core element of the EVO Plant. The basic vehicles manufactured at Autoland Hwaseong are transferred to a nearby PBV Conversion Center, where they are rebuilt to meet specific customer purposes. The Conversion Center is equipped with 98 work cells and 14 inspection cells, enabling the production of a variety of models, including PV5 Prime, Open Bed, Crew Van, and box-type models for special uses such as refrigerated vans.

The annual production capacity of the Conversion Center is about 40,000 vehicles. It started operations in September last year, and is currently focused on initial models such as Open Bed. Numerous additional conversion models, including PV5 successors, are planned for the future.

A support system has also been established for external specialty vehicle manufacturers. Kia supplies donor models to these partners, and provides resources such as 3D vehicle data, body builder manuals, and certification materials through the PBV Conversion Portal. However, due to the inclusion of sensitive technology information such as vehicle controller data, portal registration is currently limited to certified specialty vehicle companies that can conclude confidentiality agreements and handle certification work on behalf of their clients.

Kia has expanded the PV5 lineup to 10 models and is set to unveil the large electrified PBV PV7 for the first time at 'IAA Transportation 2026' in Hanover, Germany, on September 14. Similarly, the EVO Plant will expand its product range from PV5 to PV7 and PV9, solidifying its role as a PBV production hub.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.