Final 12 months Kia unveiled its first pickup truck, the body-on-frame Tasman, which will not be offered within the U.S. because it was designed for markets like Asia, Australia and the Center East — possibly for one of the best, as a result of it seems to be so rattling bizarre. However for a couple of years now we have heard rumors that Kia had been engaged on two pickups, one in every of which might be a U.S.-bound EV. Check mules made out of EV9 and Hyundai Santa Cruz elements have been spied, giving us an concept of the scale. Lastly, at Kia’s CEO Investor Day in Seoul this week, the corporate formally introduced that an electrical pickup designed for North America is coming quickly.
On the investor day executives talked about how Kia plans to develop between now and 2030, when the corporate hopes to have 1.26 million EV gross sales globally (and a pair of.33 million electrified automobiles, together with hybrids). A part of that progress will probably be by way of “assembly numerous market wants” and getting into new segments with electrical automobiles, such because the just lately launched PV5 van. Kia desires its proportion of electrified car gross sales to be 70% in North America, and to try this you’ve got actually gotta supply a truck. That is the place this new mannequin is available in.
What kind of truck will or not it’s?
Kia’s press launch says the brand new electrical truck will trip on a brand new EV platform that is “designed for each city and outside use,” so it will not simply be the identical E-GMP modular platform that underpins principally all of Hyundai Motor Group’s EVs. I feel that is factor — to essentially compete within the truck market you’ve got actually received to have a devoted platform for it, whether or not you go body-on-frame just like the F-150 Lightning or a contemporary unibody just like the Rivian R1T. Kia’s announcement did not give some other specs or particulars past saying it would have “best-in-class inside and cargo house, a sturdy towing system and off-road capabilities.”
On the Seoul Mobility Present final week Kia’s CEO did verify this truck would compete within the midsize section towards pickups just like the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger, which aligns with the scale of the take a look at mule. I am guessing this truck will solely include one mattress and cab configuration, however possibly Kia will shock me and supply a couple of completely different setups — the Tasman has a bunch of untamed ones, in any case.
Kia did say it is concentrating on “mid-to-long-term annual gross sales” of 90,000 for the U.S.-bound truck, which might be a 7% market share. Absolutely this pickup will probably be constructed within the U.S. to maintain the value down as a lot as attainable and manufacturing and gross sales as straightforward as attainable given *waves palms* every part occurring. What Kia hasn’t stated is when the truck is meant to enter manufacturing, however with mules already on the roads, I guess we’ll see a reveal throughout the subsequent 12 months or so.
Are different smaller electrical vehicles coming?
