Kia's New Toyota Tacoma-Fighter Will Be A Hybrid Truck Arriving By 2030
Kia has an alternative to the vaunted Toyota Tacoma in the works, and it could be here by the end of the decade. The new truck will include hybrid powertrains, according to a new presentation shown at Kia's CEO investor day. “Accounting for approximately 20% of total demand, the U.S. pickup market represents a key strategic segment. Given its strategic importance, Kia will launch a new body-on-frame pickup model to broaden our customer base,” Kia CEO Ho Sung Song said during the presentation.
Kia already sells a truck globally, which it launched last year. The love-or-hate looks of the Tasman are polarizing to say the least, but it isn't clear if Kia would simply bring the Tasman to the US, or if it would offer a similar truck with a new look and powertrains. Kia believes demand is strong enough in the segment to warrant the brand's entry: during the presentation, Kia said it plans to sell around 90,000 trucks annually in the US. In the long haul, Kia aims to control around seven percent of the midsize truck segment by 2034.
Kia
A large part of the plan behind the truck is its powertrains. Kia will likely favor a hybrid/gasoline lineup for the truck, given these are the powertrains a majority of Americans are buying. However, the brand also reaffirmed its intention to continue pushing into EVs alongside gas and hybrid models.
Kia will have its work cut out for it in the American truck segment. Next to SUVs, trucks are the default mode of transportation in the US. Competition is dominated largely by domestic vehicles like the Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado, though Toyota has long since carved out a massive chunk of the segment for itself. Typically, Kia has managed to push into new markets by offering a wide range of standard features and long warranties, something that should be no different when the new truck arrives before 2030.