Gwangju: Kia Corp. has officially begun the mass production of its next-generation military medium tactical vehicle, following a roll-out ceremony held at the company’s Autoland plant in Gwangju, located 270 kilometers south of Seoul. This marks a significant milestone for Kia, which has been involved in the development of military vehicles since the 1970s.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, the newly introduced Kia Medium Tactical Vehicle (KMTV) is the first model of its kind in 48 years, succeeding the standard medium tactical vehicle launched in 1977. The new KMTV comes in two variants, equipped with either 280-horsepower or 330-horsepower diesel engines for the 2.5-ton and 5-ton models, respectively, both paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The development of the KMTV followed a contract with the South Korean Army in December 2019, which led to prototype development, extensive testing, and initial trial production and evaluation. The vehicle is designed with advanced convenience features such as around-view monitoring, air suspension seats, front and rear cameras, and a built-in navigation system. It offers increased payload capacity and enhanced protection features, making it appealing to domestic and overseas defense markets.

Kia is set to begin delivering the vehicles to the South Korean Army this month, with plans to expand supply to global customers. A company official highlighted their commitment to applying innovative technologies to develop special purpose vehicles that ensure the safe transport of troops and shape the future of military mobility.