Kia is bringing an all-electric pickup to the market, and it should be coming to the United States

I previously reported that Kia was working on an electric midsize pickup and now a prototype has been spotted roaming the highways of Southern California. Does this mean that Kia is soon planning to bring an all-electric pickup truck to market in the United States? My magic ball says 8… Yes, and here’s why: Kia doesn’t currently sell any type of pickup in the US, which means Kia has zero percent of the most lucrative auto segment in the US market. Although it might make sense for Kia to bring a plug-in hybrid (HEV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) pickup truck to the market as well or alternatively, depending, there is currently only one side-by-side pickup Middle available in the US: Rivian R1T. Thus, Kia won’t have much competition, until one or more of these other brands launches a midsize electric pickup as well. Kia’s EV manufacturing capacity (in the near term) and battery supplies are almost always limited, so it makes sense for Kia to opt for a leaner entry into the emerging electric pickup market segment. The mid-size (not full-size) pickup market in the United States is a smaller, but still profitable, truck market that “translates” better to the international truck market as well. Finally, by choosing to produce an EV pickup model for the US market, Kia may be positioning itself as the new leader in the electric (or electrified) pickup segment. Kia’s new electric pickup will likely start at least $10,000 less, if not $20,000 less, than the Rivian1T. Thus, such an electric vehicle would immediately gain some audience among the truck-loving population, and that would presumably help Kia achieve its EV growth goals while attracting new customers to the brand.

Not much is known about Kia’s upcoming electric pickup besides its likely midsize size, which could be compared to the Ford Ranger, and perhaps its name: the Tasman, although that name may be what Kia uses for a different model not intended for the U.S. that may… Don’t have an EV pickup. Note that the comparison between the pickups shown in the electricrek.com and motor1.com links above is difficult due to the camouflage, but it appears to be the same truck. It could also be the same platform, but possibly different models, but these may just be test models and not representative of what the final product will be. However, we can speculate a little, within reason, about the performance specifications of Kia’s upcoming electric truck. It is common and expected that Kia will try to use the same battery pack or modules in this pickup truck as is used in its other large electric vehicles, especially its current larger model, the EV9. The EV9 has two sizes of its battery packs: 76.1 kWh and 99.8 kWh. The smaller size may not be large enough for an EV pickup because it will be less aerodynamic than the EV9 and possibly heavier, meaning less range. However, by the time the Kia truck goes on sale in the US, the EV9 package may be present in its next generation (and will likely increase its capacity by 10% or more). So it’s possible that Kia could use an 80-90 kWh package in the less expensive models of the new electric pickup, but I wouldn’t consider it unless they offer what would be considered a work truck model with a maximum range of less than 200 miles. . Kia may want to keep things simple, and offer just one battery pack in its pickup truck, and if so, it will likely be the larger 99.8 kWh pack if not a new/revised version of that pack with over 100 kWh. Since midsize pickups (using the R1T as a comparison) might optimistically average around 2-2.3 miles per kWh (when not towing), if Kia opted for the 100 kWh package, its pickup could almost It breaks into the 200 mile range and is not competitive (unlike a work truck or base model). As such, I fully expect the smallest package Kia EV pickups could be offered to be the larger 99.8 kWh package from the EV9, and Kia EV pickups will likely offer a 110-130 kWh battery pack. This means ranges of between 220 and about 300 miles on a full charge (which range will be much less while towing, or slightly less when driving at 90% or more at highway speeds). It’s probably safe to say that Kia will be targeting at least 90% towing capacity (if not greater than) other midsize EVs, so I’d expect 10,000-12,000 pound capacity there (again based on the Rivian R1T). Acceleration times may be a little lower than what the Rivian truck offers (3.5-4.3 seconds to 60 mph) if we consider how other Kia EVs compare on this metric to say the Tesla Model 3. I estimate we may see 4.5-5.0 second times for Kia’s Truck is on the aggressive or sporty end, and 5.5-6 seconds is on the lower end.

Are you interested in Kia’s upcoming electric pickup or midsize electric trucks in general? Why are you interested in them and how do you expect to use one? Are there any concerns you have about the range of this vehicle and would you be more inclined to prefer a hybrid midsize pickup (plug-in or otherwise) rather than an electric car? Please leave your questions and comments below.

Images courtesy of Kia, Electric.com and Kindle Auto.

Justin Hart has owned and driven electric vehicles for over 15 years, including a first generation Nissan Leaf, a second generation Chevy Volt, a Tesla Model 3, an electric bike and most recently a Kia Sorento PHEV. He is also an avid SUP rider, poet, photographer, and wine lover. He enjoys taking long EV and PHEV road trips to beautiful, quiet places with the people he loves. Follow Justin on Torque News Kia or X For regular electric and hybrid news coverage.