Kia is getting ready to jump into the electric truck market in the US! They were recently spotted testing a mysterious truck in California. It’s covered in black camouflage, but it looks like it might share headlights with the Kia EV9 and taillights with the Kia Santa Cruz. This mix-and-match approach is common for car companies during the development phase to save money.
The truck seems similar in size to the Kia EV9, a three-row SUV. This suggests it will compete with mid-size gas-powered trucks like the Honda Ridgeline. It might even challenge the electric Rivian R1T. Back in 2022, Kia announced plans to launch two electric trucks by 2026.
This one we see testing is likely the dedicated electric truck for the US market, not the one for other countries. Kia is also testing a regular gasoline-powered mid-size truck called the Tasman, but it’s unclear if that will be sold in the US.
Here’s an interesting detail: the electric truck had Michigan plates. This truck is expected to use the same platform as many other Kia and Hyundai electric cars. But we don’t know where it will be built yet. To get the full US federal tax credit for electric vehicles, it needs to be built in the US. Otherwise, it will be more expensive due to a tax on imported trucks.
