- Key Highlights and Target Specs
- Design and Segment Positioning
- Kia Pickup vs. Rivals
- “The Engineer and His Electric Workhorse”
- Design, Driving Modes, and Digital Intelligence
- Why Kia’s Pickup Stands Out
- Kia’s Broader EV Strategy
The electric pickup battlefield is heating up — and Kia is officially joining the war. After Tesla’s Cybertruck and Ford’s F-150 Lightning stirred the market, Kia’s all-new 2026 Tasman EV Pickup is set to rewrite expectations for performance, practicality, and price. Designed on the same E-GMP platform as the EV6 and EV9, this ambitious truck combines rugged capability with cutting-edge electric technology. Its arrival marks a shifting moment for both global and Middle Eastern markets where pickups meet modern sustainability.
Key Highlights and Target Specs
Platform: Built on Kia’s advanced E-GMP modular EV platform (shared with EV6 & EV9).
Estimated range: 480–540 km (300–335 miles) on a single charge—directly rivaling the F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T.
Battery packs: 77.4 kWh and 100+ kWh options with 350 kW DC fast-charging (10%–80% in under 25 minutes).
Performance:
Single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD expected.
Dual motor version targets 0–100 km/h in under 5 seconds.
Towing capacity: Up to 4,500 kg (10,000 lbs).
Payload: Roughly 1,300–1,360 kg (2,800–3,000 lbs).
Pricing aim: Around $45,000–$55,000 (≈168,000–205,000 SAR), making it one of the most affordable mid-size EV pickups.
Market launch: Expected debut by late 2025, with deliveries starting in 2026 across North America, Australia, and select international markets.
Design and Segment Positioning
Unlike converted gasoline pickups, Kia’s EV truck is purpose-built from the ground up. This design grants a longer cabin, flat floor, and better cooling battery shielding. Expect a futuristic yet rugged look with strong character lines, LED lighting signatures, and enhanced aerodynamics to balance muscle with efficiency.
It will slot between compact lifestyle pickups (like the Hyundai Santa Cruz) and full-sized haulers (like the F-150 Lightning). This balance of practicality, urban drivability, and work-ready strength could attract both adventure seekers and SME owners needing an everyday workhorse.
Kia Pickup vs. Rivals
“The Engineer and His Electric Workhorse”
Picture a young engineer living in Riyadh. His workweek requires hauling tools across project sites, and his weekends take him deep into Wadi adventure trails. Owning the upcoming Kia EV Pickup offers him silence, torque, and freedom: a full week’s city commute on one charge, and highway runs powered by instant acceleration. With a 25-minute charging break matching his coffee stop, he realizes electric practicality isn’t just for sedans anymore—it’s built for real pickup life.
Design, Driving Modes, and Digital Intelligence
Advanced terrain control: Adaptive drive modes for sand, gravel, snow, and rock terrains.
Smart towing assist: Automatically calibrates drive torque when trailer profile is detected.
Off-road readiness: Up to 11.1 inches of ground clearance and 800 mm wading capability.
Innovative cabin tech: Dual 12.3" digital displays merged for panoramic visual flow, plus voice commands, 360° camera view, and optional Harman Kardon audio.
Utility features: Side storage boxes, 220V bed outlet, corner step, and dual 240V cab outlets for powering tools and camps.
Why Kia’s Pickup Stands Out
Value-first entry into EV truck market: expected to undercut every rival on pricing and still deliver major range.
True EV architecture: no compromises in balance, comfort, or battery layout.
Practical and quiet interior: sound-insulated cabin and second-row comfort close to mid-size SUVs.
Lower running costs than petrol-powered equivalents: no oil changes, fewer moving parts, brake components lasting longer.
OTA updates and Digital Key 2.0 support for personalized vehicle settings and software upgrades on the go.
Kia’s Broader EV Strategy
Kia plans to launch 15 new EVs by 2030, targeting 1 million EV sales annually.
The Tasman pickup is a key player in the brand’s commercial and “work-adventure” range.
Production is expected in plants across the U.S., Korea, and Australia to meet diverse market needs.
Hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell derivatives may follow post-2027 for heavy-duty fleet buyers.
The 2026 Kia Electric Pickup marks a turning point not only for Kia, but for electric utility vehicles as a whole. Combining serious power with smart architecture and an attainable price, it stands as the bridge between eco-friendliness and full utility. As Kia readies to roll out this EV workhorse, pickup fans in the GCC and beyond can look forward to an electric truck that’s powerful, practical, and built to last.
