In the previous year, Kia introduced its inaugural pickup truck model. the body-on-frame Tasman , which will not be available in the U.S., as it was developed primarily for markets such as Asia, Australia, and the Middle East—perhaps fortunately, since it appears quite bizarre. However, for several years now, we have heard speculations that Kia has been developing two pickup trucks. One of these could be an electric vehicle destined for the U.S. market. Test animals created from EV9 and Hyundai Santa Cruz Sections have been spotted, providing insights into the dimensions. Recently, during Kia’s CEO Investor Day in Seoul, the company formally declared that they will be launching an electric pickup tailored for the North American market shortly.
During the investor day event, executives discussed Kia’s strategy for expansion from now until 2030, aiming for global electric vehicle sales to reach 1.26 million units (with total electrified vehicle sales, encompassing hybrids, reaching 2.33 million). This growth will partly come from “addressing varied consumer demands” and introducing electric models into unexplored market sectors. the newly launched PV5 van Kia aims for 70% of its vehicles sold in North America to be electric, and introducing a pickup truck with this new model is essential to achieving that target.
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What Kind of Truck Will It Be?
Kia's announcement states that their upcoming electric pickup will utilize a novel EV platform tailored for both city driving and off-road conditions, indicating it won’t merely be a repurposed version. E-GMP modular platform That forms the foundation of virtually all Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicles. I believe this is beneficial—competing effectively in the pickup segment truly requires having a specialized platform for it, regardless of whether you opt for a body-on-frame design similar to the F-150 Lightning or a contemporary unibody like the Rivian R1T Kia's release did not provide additional specifications or specifics apart from mentioning that it will feature "class-leading cabin and storage area dimensions, a strong hauling setup, and off-roading abilities."
Last week at the Seoul Mobility Show, Kia’s CEO confirmed that this pickup truck will enter the midsize market competing against vehicles such as the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger. This matches up well with the dimensions observed from the testing prototype. My assumption is that this new model might feature just one type of bed and cabin setup; however, perhaps Kia may impress us by offering various configurations—considering how many innovative options the Tasman offers, anything seems possible.
Kia has mentioned that their target for long-term annual sales of the U.S.-headed truck is set at around 90,000 units, equating to approximately 7% of the market share. It’s likely that this pickup will be manufactured in the U.S. to minimize costs and simplify both manufacturing processes and distribution as much as feasible amid current circumstances. However, Kia remains tight-lipped about the specific timeline for starting production; yet, considering test vehicles have been spotted out testing on public roads, an unveiling could very well happen over the course of the coming year.
Is There an Upcoming Wave of Smaller Electric Trucks?
Kia is not alone in developing a compact electric pickup truck, smaller than standard full-size trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado or Ram 1500. This week, the chief of Nissan’s U.S. product strategy mentioned that their company is also pursuing this idea. A new electric vehicle (EV) platform that will be used to construct a lightweight truck. , Ford is developing an all-electric midsize pickup truck. To position beneath the F-150 Lightning, and Toyota has demonstrated ideas for a Tacoma electric vehicle as well as a dedicated smaller truck . Plus there's the Telo startup , which has recently unveiled specifics about its Mini Cooper-sized pickup truck. Here’s hoping Rivian will also develop a smaller truck based on this. the adorable R3X , too.
However, the latest and most fascinating contender might be a firm that virtually nobody was aware of, which received secret investment from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. As our acquaintance Sean O'Kane discovered. for an impressive article for TechCrunch , an electric start-up based in Michigan known as Slate Auto has been quietly working on a two-seater electric pickup truck. With a target price point at $25,000, inspired conceptually by vehicles such as the Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle, and backed financially by various wealthy individuals, this project plans to begin manufacturing in Indiana by late 2026. I am eagerly anticipating seeing what comes from this endeavor.
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