Kia has partnered with Hongcheon-gun in Gangwon Province to launch an electric car sharing service, leading the way in creating an eco-friendly mobility ecosystem based on regional coexistence.
Starting today, Kia announced the expansion of its electric car sharing service ‘Weeble Biz’ to Hongcheon-gun, following its previous operations in Hwaseong and Gwangmyeong in Gyeonggi Province and Gyeongsangnam-do.
Weeble Biz is an eco-friendly sharing service that allows enterprises or organizations to subscribe to electric cars during designated working hours, using them for business purposes on weekdays, while individuals can rent the vehicles for commuting or weekend leisure during off-hours.
This service has been introduced for the first time in county-level municipalities where public transportation is relatively sparse. It is being conducted as a part of Hongcheon-gun’s smart city initiative, involving a ‘smart city council’ comprised of local residents, merchants, and public officials.
The smart city council aims to discover new mobility services unique to Hongcheon-gun that can contribute to revitalizing the local economy and solving urban issues, leveraging group training and living lab methods.
Specifically, plans will be explored to promote local tourism by connecting Weeble Biz’s eco-friendly vehicles with key tourist attractions and restaurants in Hongcheon-gun while assessing business viability.
To this end, Kia will deploy four Niro EV electric vehicles to the Hongcheon-gun office. These vehicles will be used by public officials during weekdays and will be available for free use by members of the smart city council, local residents, and public officials during nights and weekends.
With Weeble Biz, users can easily book electric cars through a mobile application and conveniently pick up and drop off vehicles in dedicated parking areas. Additionally, beyond just vehicle rental, it offers tailored services including vehicle maintenance and charging, app management, and IT solutions, maximizing convenience for both users and managers.
A Kia representative stated, “The expansion of this service is significant as it illustrates the collaboration of businesses, public institutions, and local residents in creating the necessary mobility services for the community. We expect Weeble Biz to serve as a new mobility solution positively impacting the entire community, enhancing transport welfare and revitalizing local tourism.”
Meanwhile, Kia plans to foster a sustainable eco-friendly mobility ecosystem by collaborating with various sectors, not only focusing on mobility businesses based on electric vehicles but also utilizing big data from business solutions, battery management, vehicle status, and operational data to develop the electric vehicle upstream and downstream industries simultaneously.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr