During Kia’s recent global CEO Investor Day presentation in Seoul, Korea, Ho Sung Song, president and CEO of Kia, dropped an interesting nugget: Kia will add an EV pickup model for North America, building on the global Tasman midsize pickup’s success. Enter the Kia Tasman EV pickup?
We’ve previously written about the Tasman pickup as forbidden fruit because it was set to be sold in Korea, Australia, Africa and the Middle East – but not North America. Now it seems there is a plan to bring production of the midsize truck – in EV form – to North America, which will help it avoid the “Chicken Tax.”
What we know about a Kia Tasman EV pickup
The long and short answer is: Not much. We aren’t even 100% certain it’ll be called the Tasman. It is mentioned in the same breath as the Tasman a few times in the press release, however, so this is an educated guess.
We do know that this electric pickup has a long-term annual sales target of 90,000 units. And we also know that though Korea will be the global hub for EV development and production, North America will focus on mid to large SUVs and, presumably, the new EV pickup. This new electric pickup will also be built on a new EV platform and will be a part of the “Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV)” lineup.
Kia has some serious plans for this new PBV lineup, including passenger vans, campers and open bed variants – so there’s the potential we could see more than just a midsize truck make it to our shores.
The most prolific and specific information we have on the new EV pickup comes in this single paragraph:
“In North America, Kia plans to introduce an EV pickup truck based on a new EV platform designed for both urban and outdoor use. With this innovative model, Kia targets mid-to-long-term annual sales of 90,000 units and a seven percent market share. The vehicle will feature best-in-class interior and cargo space, a robust towing system, off-road capabilities, and advanced infotainment and safety features.”
If this new EV pickup is based on the Tasman, expect a blocky design and a lot of tech.
Our take on the Kia Tasman EV
While interest in EVs seems to be waning a bit in the U.S., we’ve long said a midsize pickup is prime for electrification. It would be great for city and suburban usage for business owners and regular consumers alike. It’ll be easier to park, and (this is key) it will fit in your garage for at-home charging.
However, Kia has been trying to bring a truck to the U.S. for more than 20 years now, so forgive us for being a bit skeptical. We’ll believe it when we see it.
