The combat vehicles could be deployed as soon as 2024.
Kia is gearing up for its brand relaunch in early next year. The Korean car manufacturer will also be working with the Korean government. The automaker today announced that it will develop a standard platform for next-gen 2.5 and 5-ton military vehicles in a fast timeline. Kia states prototyping will start within a year and government evaluations will begin in 2021. These new vehicles could be deployed as early as 2024.
Kia will replace the current 2.5- and 5-ton military vehicles. They will be equipped with all the latest gadgets, such as a high-powered 7.0-liter diesel engine and an automatic gearbox. A new 5-ton bulletproof Kia vehicle will be developed. This platform will be able to support other variants, including the possibility of equipping vehicles with weapons and other military gear.
Kia will also investigate how hydrogen fuel cell technology and autonomous driving systems could be used in military vehicles. A military all-terrain vehicle will be developed by the company based on the Kia Mohave SUV platform. However, it could also be used for non-military purposes. Kia will have a prototype ready by next year. It will also use the knowledge it has gained from military vehicle development to improve its consumer products.
This is not the first time Kia has ventured into manufacturing military vehicles. In the late 1970s, the company started producing military vehicles for both the Korean military and foreign military. Eventually, the company created Korea’s first tactical multipurpose vehicle. Kia has produced 140,000 military vehicles since those first examples were produced. There are nine types of models and many variants. These vehicles are amazing in their own right. However, it will be fascinating to see how technology changes military operations, such as autonomous vehicles that deliver supplies in hazardous combat zones.