Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
After the unveiling of the distinctive Kia Tasman pickup truck last year, which the company deems a success despite its polarizing design, Kia is expanding its truck lineup. The automaker plans to introduce a second pickup option: an electric pickup truck. This time, unlike the Tasman, the new EV is slated for release in the North American market.
Kia’s New Electric Pickup Truck
According to a company announcement earlier in April, “Kia intends to launch an EV pickup truck built upon a novel EV platform, crafted for both city and outdoor environments.” The vehicle will allegedly offer superior interior space and cargo capacity, a powerful towing capacity, capabilities for driving off-road, plus advanced infotainment and safety technologies.”
While details remain scarce, we can infer some key features from Kia’s statements. The incorporation of all-terrain capability will differentiate this electric vehicle from the Hyundai Santa Cruz, currently the sole pickup offered by Kia or its affiliated company in the United States.
Given that it will utilize a new EV platform, this truck will also stand apart from Kia’s existing electric vehicles such as the Kia EV6. The infotainment system will probably mirror the technology found in current Kia EVs and vehicles, such as the dual-display system featured in the latest Kia Sportage SUVs.
Last week, Kia presented its more budget-friendly EV sedan, and FASTNET was present to preview the 2026 Kia EV4.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Kia Electric Pickup Truck: Prospects for Success in the US Market
According to the press release, Kia anticipates selling approximately 90,000 units of this new EV pickup annually, a substantial objective given that the Ford F-150 Lightning is struggling to reach 30,000 units sold each year. This is a considerably ambitious sales target for a vehicle that signifies Kia’s initial foray into satisfying American truck consumers. Despite this, there is reason for optimism.
“The models constructed on the eGMP series exceeded 100,000 sales during 2024,” stated Liz Najman, Director of Market Insights at Recurrent, an organization delivering unbiased data on EV performance. “Furthermore, similar to the EV6, Kia pickups will likely be manufactured in the U.S., which helps to bypass costly tariffs, which ultimately increases prices for consumers. It’s reasonable to assume that price will be a major influence for consumers in the foreseeable future.”
Najman added that pickups ranked as the two best-selling vehicle types in 2024, potentially allowing Kia to achieve its sales goals provided the company establishes an excellent balance between competitive pricing and robust capability.
“If you analyze electric car sales, both the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Jeep Wrangler PHEV sold over 50,000 units in 2024. Not to mention the Model 3 and Model Y sold 150,000+ and 370,000+ units respectively,” Najman explained. “Sales volumes for electric vehicles remain robust when they deliver on customer expectations.”