Kia to make a pickup truck for the U.S..Developed as a dedicated model, not just Tas
Apr 10, 2025
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North American automobile media are also showing great interest.The pickup truck that Kia plans to launch in the U.S. market is completely different from the frame body Tasman that appeared this year. Kia will develop it as a dedicated pickup truck to target the last base of the U.S. automobile market.
Kia will be developed from scratch as a new pickup truck specialized in the U.S. market.One thing is clear: Kia aims for significant share in the most competitive and profitable segment of the U.S. auto industry.
Kia already has a strong presence in crossover and electric vehicles in North America. However, the U.S. lineup failed to introduce a true pickup truck.While the only authentic pickup truck TAS was recently launched in South Korea and Australia, it was not designed with U.S. consumers or related regulations in mind.
Kia President Song Ho-sung told the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show that `Tasman was not developed as a vehicle aimed at the U.S. market" he noted. "The new pickup truck will be a completely separate model built to suit American tastes and needs," it continued.
Medium-sized pickup trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevrolet Colorado are still in much higher demand than sedans in the U.S. thanks to their practicality, a combination of vehicle and load space sizes, and value.As the era of electric vehicles approaches and consumer tastes change, demand for electric pickup trucks to replace large internal combustion engine pickup trucks such as the Ford F-150 and Tesla Cybertruck is also increasing.
Kia's North American-only pickup truck is expected to be produced at Hyundai's Meta Plant America plant in Georgia. This could help avoid the Trump administration's imposition of import tariffs and trade conflicts. There is no definition yet on the power train, but it seems likely that it will be released as an electric vehicle or at least offer an electric vehicle version with existing internal combustion engine options.
Kia is already reportedly seeking a partnership with General Motors (GM) to develop internal combustion engine pickup trucks based on Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. It's not just pickup trucks that Kia is entering new territory in North America. Kia is also developing a range of electric light commercial vehicles (LVC), including PV5 vans, to expand its presence in the commercial and utility markets.
For Kia, changes like this pickup truck launch mean not just launching a new product line, but also completely changing Kia's identity in the U.S. market, Autoblog analyzed. This is not a risky gamble, but a huge mid- to long-term growth strategy for Kia. In particular, it is seen as an opportunity, not a risk.
Meanwhile, Kia launched its first frame body-based mid-size pickup truck, Tasman, last month in the domestic market. Starting in Korea, the company unveiled Tasman to emerging markets, including Australia, and set an annual average of 80,000 units.It also plans to secure a 6% market share (excluding North America).
In North America, the largest pickup market, Kia has set a goal of selling 90,000 units a year and achieving a 7% market share according to its mid- to long-term plan.
Electric pickups not only increase convenience through best-in-class indoor and loading spaces, and towing systems, but also secure specialized driving ability off-road. In addition, it plans to apply the best-in-class safety specifications and infotainment platforms for safety and convenience. Plans to launch a new electric pickup truck in Korea are still undecided.
Editor Song Moon-cheol mc.song@carguy.kr
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
