Kia confirms the electric Tasman pickup we’ve been waiting for is coming soon

It’s official: The all-electric Kia pickup truck is on its way. Although we had a suspicion, Kia confirmed an EV version of its Tasman pickup is coming soon. Here’s what to expect.

After teasing its first pickup truck for what seemed like forever, Kia finally unveiled the Tasman in October. Although many, including myself, were hoping for an electric model, we only got a 2.2-liter diesel engine.

That will soon change. We knew an EV version was in the works after Kia revealed plans to launch two electric pickups during its 2022 CEO Investor Day. Kia said one model will be for emerging markets while the other is a dedicated EV pickup.

In the US, where SUVs and trucks dominate sales, Kia said, “Electric versions of these models will be produced locally.”

Now, it’s official. An executive confirmed that Kia will launch an EV version of the Tasman pickup. According to CarBuzz, Kia’s head of marketing for South Africa, Christo Valentyn, said during a media event earlier this month, “I’m probably not supposed to say this, but… an electric one is coming.”

At 5,410 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,870 mm tall, Kia’s Tasman is slightly smaller than the Ford F-150 Lightning (5,885 mm long, 2,029 mm wide, and 1,961 mm tall). It will be a direct rival to the Toyota Tacoma and Hilux.

Is Kia launching an EV pickup in the US?

This is the first time Kia has officially confirmed an electric Tasman is in the works. Although Kia said its modular platform was flexible enough to fit different powertrains, an EV version was never mentioned.

The electric pickup was already spotted testing in the US earlier this year (see the video below). Although it’s hard to confirm, the test mule does not appear to be the Tasman. It looks to have a design closer to Kia’s three-row EV9 SUV.

Kia’s electric pickup will compete against a growing number of EV trucks, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, Chevy Silverado EV, and more. It’s also expected to challenge global top-selling gas and hybrid pickups like the Toyota Hilux.

Will Kia launch its EV pickup in the US? That’s yet to be confirmed. However, it would only make sense after Kia’s parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, recently started production at its massive new manufacturing plant in Georgia.

Kia is already building the three-row EV9 in Georgia. With America’s love for pickups, Kia’s electric Tasman is expected to make its way to the states.

Valentyn added that “you have to be respectful of the segment-leaders,” referring to Ford and Toyota. To compete, it will likely need to be built in the US.

Kia is launching the Tasman in Korea in the first half of 2025, followed by Australia, Africa, The Middle East, Saudi Arabia, and other markets. In some overseas markets, like Australia, a plug-in hybrid version is expected to launch.

Would you buy an electric Kia pickup over Ford’s F-150 Lightning or Tesla Cybertruck? Let us know in the comments below.