Light up is developing a completely new small van with electric drive and range extender drive and plans to bring the model onto the market by 2030.
At the company’s investor day earlier this month, CEO Ho Sung Song confirmed that Kia is working on a new battery-electric pickup truck for the US, with the option of an EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) powertrain – likely with a gasoline generator to power the battery and motors.
The vehicle features a traditional ladder frame chassis for better towing and off-road capability.
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It is unclear whether the pickup will be related to the existing diesel-powered Kia Tasman ute, which is expected to be available with electric power 12 months after its April 2025 launch.
However, given that the South Korean brand says it is specifically targeting the US with this new model, there is a possibility that it will only be made in left-hand drive – which rules out use for the Australian market.
Kia is targeting sales of 90,000 vehicles for the pickup truck by 2034 to achieve a seven percent market share in this segment in the United States Automotive News.
It’s unclear whether the project has been delayed or whether Kia has changed its plans. The company announced at its 2022 investor day that it would launch two electric cars by 2027 – one for the US and another as a “strategic model” for emerging markets.
Images posted online in 2024 showed a Michigan-coated ute prototype being tested in heavy camouflage, with the windshield slope, side mirrors, wheel arches and lights all apparently different from those of the Kia Tasman.
Although not definitive, the camouflage appeared to have a flap in the front left side panel – perhaps to allow for charging – and no exhaust outlets are visible.
The test vehicle also appeared to have independent rear suspension rather than a solid (driven) rear axle with heavy-duty leaf springs as seen on the Tasman.
At the time, reports said the vehicle would use a monocoque chassis, suggesting that Kia had switched to body-on-frame construction for its North American electric car.
This signals the company’s intention to compete with vehicles like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, rather than in the “lifestyle” pickup truck segment.
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