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Kia EV6 Truck Unofficially Mixes Santa Cruz With Zero Emissions to Beat Mavericks

Hyundai recently unveiled a set of extremely ambitious EV targets. Naturally, its group sibling Kia quickly followed with its own set of zero-emission benchmarks. Some are more enticing than others.
Kia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AG 7 photos
Photo: kdesignag / Instagram
Kia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AGKia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AGKia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AGKia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AGKia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AGKia EV6 pickup Truck based on Santa Cruz rendering by KDesign AG
Amidst high gasoline prices at the filling stations and major global unrest and uncertainty, there are also glimmers of EV hope. For example, Hyundai has pledged to reveal no less than 17 electric vehicles and sell almost two million EV units by 2030.

Meanwhile, Kia was not sitting idle either, with plans for 14 new EV models and deliveries of 1.2 million examples by the end of the decade. Per year! Of course, that means the South Korean brand is going to expand its zero-emission reach into many more segments than it caters for today. Like EV pickup trucks!

That is a highly coveted subject in North America these days, with the already revealed GMC Hummer H1, Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, and 2024 Chevy Silverado EV. Not to mention the upcoming GMC version. Or the teased fully-electric Ram pickup truck. But at least on a hypothetical level, there is more from Kia as well.

Kleber Silva, a Barueri, Brazil-based virtual artist known as KDesign AG on social media, has noticed Kia's decision to plunge into the sprawling EV pickup truck market. And quickly came up with the idea of transforming the cool EV6 compact crossover SUV. Into a battery-powered pickup truck. Of course, he also opted for a logical approach.

Kia’s sibling Hyundai already sells, with remarkable success, a Tucson-based unibody compact pickup truck. Their Santa Cruz thus served as the CGI base of digital transformation. Alas, the pixel master did not want too much of it to remain. So, he virtually slapped on top of it the current EV6 design language. That is clearly visible, especially at the front and rear fascia levels. Do you dig this EV that would presumably battle the popular, hybrid Ford Maverick?


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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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