Kia continues to tease us, telling us we won’t be getting the Tasman pick-up in the UK. And now, video footage has revealed a compact electric pick-up the Korean firm is developing, which, again, probably won’t be coming to the UK!
The footage of the electric pick-up, which would sit below the forthcoming Tasman in the Kia lineup, was captured by spy photographer KindelAuto and posted on YouTube.
The vehicle is heavily disguised but has obvious influences of the Kia EV9 electric SUV and the Hyundai Santa Cruz pick-up which is popular in the US-market.
The Tasman, which will be frame-based and diesel-powered, will be a rival to the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux, while this electric-powered newcomer will likely be based on a monocoque platform and target car-based pickups such as the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
The US market is dominated by full-sized pick-ups like the RAM 1500 and Ford F-150, but Kia could be tapping into a less catered-for niche. By blending car-like comfort and economy in a slightly smaller shell, and still with respectable towing capabilities and payloads, this new offering would appeal to many who find traditional pickup trucks too intimidating but are looking for more practicality than an SUV offers.
Nothing concrete about this nameless model has been determined, but several platforms in the current Kia line-up would be suitable bases, including the E-GMP platform. This has already been used in a diverse range of vehicles, including the Genesis GV60, Kia EV6, and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
With dual motors for all-wheel drive and a range of around 300 miles expected to be the target for the electric Kia pick-up, a battery pack of about 100kWh would be needed. In a happy coincidence, the EV9 SUV has a 99.8kWh battery pack, which is likely to slot straight into the pick-up's chassis.
As you might expect, the payload and towing capacity of current car-based pickups are lower than those of traditional pick-ups in the UK and the US. The new model is anticipated to meet or exceed these, using the Ford Maverick as a possible benchmark, which can carry up to 680kg in its load box and tow up to 1,800kg.
Hyundai is expected to reveal the new Santa Cruz in 2025, ahead of launching the model in 2026, so while it’s possible that it may align development with Kia on this project, we understand that the two sister companies plan to follow separate paths in this particular segment.
It is still early days, and little is known about this electric pick-up offering, but we do know that there are currently no plans for Kia, or any other manufacturers, to bring a compact pick-up to the UK market.
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