Kia to enter electric pickup truck segment, plans to launch two models by 2027
South Korean automaker Kia Motors is the latest car brand to enter the electric pickup truck segment, as the OEM has announced it will launch two models in the segment by 2027. One of them will be a dedicated electric pickup truck and another one will be a strategic model for emerging markets. This means one would be the competitor against rivals like Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV, while the other one will be positioned lower with smaller size and lower performance capability.
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The two electric pickup trucks will come as part of the Hyundai-owned automaker's ambitious electric vehicle product strategy, under which it aims to bring 13 battery electric vehicles by 2027. Interestingly, Kia previously said that it would launch 11 electric vehicles by 2026. However, now the brand has added three more EVs, including two pickup trucks and an entry-level BEV. The larger pickup truck is expected to hit the market sometime in 2026.
Kia has not revealed any further details about these upcoming electric pickup trucks. This is going to be interesting to see how both Hyundai and Kia introduce their respective electric pickup trucks.
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Kia has hinted that its mid-size electric SUVs and electric pickup trucks will be manufactured in the US from 2024. In that case, the larger electric pickup truck would be built in the US, which would be one of the major target market spaces for the car brand. The company aims to make its small and medium-sized electric vehicles in the European plants from 2025.
Kia has already launched its EV6 last year and its GT variant is set to launch soon. The automaker is also working on Kia EV9 flagship SUV that is slated for launch in 2023. Besides that, Kia has planned to launch two electric pickup trucks and an entry-level battery-electric vehicle as well.
The electric pickup truck is one of the emerging segments where several automakers are aiming to launch their products. Ford and GMC have already brought their respective vehicles into the space, while Toyota, Chevrolet and Tesla are working on their own products.
