Rahul Somvanshi
Kia has officially thrown its hat into the electric pickup truck ring. During its 2025 CEO Investor Day in Seoul on April 9, the Korean automaker confirmed plans to launch an all-electric pickup truck specifically designed for the North American market.
This move marks Kia’s first entry into the American truck segment, though it won’t be the company’s first pickup overall. The recently unveiled Tasman, a conventionally-powered mid-size truck, is already slated for markets like Australia and South Korea but won’t be coming to America.
A Different Approach to Trucks
Kia CEO Ho Sung Song emphasized that this electric picxkup will be entirely different from the Tasman. The new truck will ride on a purpose-built electric vehicle platform designed for “both urban and outdoor use,” suggesting a focus on versatility rather than purely work-oriented capabilities.
The automaker is making bold claims about the upcoming truck, promising “best-in-class interior and cargo space,” a “robust towing system,” strong “off-road capabilities,” and “advanced infotainment and safety features.” While specific dimensions haven’t been revealed, previous statements from Kia executives point toward a mid-size offering.
Big Sales Targets
Kia isn’t being shy about its ambitions. The company has set a mid-to-long-term annual sales target of 90,000 units for this electric truck, aiming for a 7% share of the combined U.S. and Canadian pickup market.
These numbers reveal just how seriously Kia is taking this venture. For context, Ford sold just over 7,100 F-150 Lightning electric trucks in the first quarter of 2025, while Tesla delivered fewer than 12,000 Cybertrucks during the same period.
Similar Posts
Made in America
To avoid import tariffs—both the longstanding “Chicken Tax” on light trucks and newer EV import tariffs—the electric pickup is expected to be manufactured in the United States. The most likely production site is the Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant in Georgia, which has significant EV manufacturing capacity.
This U.S. production strategy mirrors what other foreign automakers have done with their truck offerings and helps ensure the vehicle remains price-competitive in the North American market.
Filling a Market Gap
While several electric pickup trucks already exist in the North American market—like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and Rivian R1T—they’re all full-size or larger models. If Kia delivers on its mid-size truck plans, it could potentially be the first in this smaller electric pickup segment.
This positioning might give Kia a significant advantage, offering an electric truck option for buyers who don’t need or want a full-size pickup.
Timeline and Further Details
Kia hasn’t announced a specific launch date for the electric pickup, though industry watchers expect it to arrive “by the end of this decade,” likely around 2026-2027 based on the development stage suggested by previous spy photos.
The truck is part of Kia’s broader “Plan S 2030” strategy, which aims to expand the company’s electric vehicle lineup to 15 models by 2030, with a global EV sales target of 1.26 million units annually.
Many crucial details remain unknown, including battery capacity, range, motor configuration, pricing, and exact dimensions. As development progresses, we can expect Kia to gradually reveal more information about this potentially groundbreaking addition to the electric truck market.
