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Kia Pickup Truck Makes Spy Photo Debut, It Could Be One of Two New Electric Trucks

On March 3rd, 2022, during the Kia CEO Investor Day, the South Korean automaker said that it plans to launch “at least two BEVs per year” in order to build a lineup of 14 battery-electric vehicles by 2027. Compared to the previous version of the BEV plan, the company added three all-electric vehicles to the mix, as in two trucks and an entry-level model.
Kia Pickup Truck Prototype 8 photos
Photo: @kia_club_official on Instagram via bobaedream.co.kr
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The pickup trucks are of utmost importance for this story, with Kia confirming “a dedicated electric pickup truck and a strategic model for emerging markets.” The question is, what could this camouflaged prototype be? The front end is directly inspired by the Mohave, a body-on-frame utility vehicle that comes exclusively with a turbo diesel V6.

Similarities also include the design of the side mirrors and front windows, and at the back, you’ll notice a beefy differential that looks remarkably similar to the rear differential of the Mohave. Spied in South Korea, the prototype features temporary plates that don’t offer a clue in regard to what’s hiding under the hood. Coming courtesy of @kia_club_official on Instagram, the low-resolution photos shared on bobaedream.co.kr don’t reveal much in this regard either. It’s hard to tell if a radiator is hiding behind the ginormous front grille and the exhaust is nowhere to be seen.

Turning our attention back to the all-electric pickups confirmed by Kia in March 2022, could this be a test mule for one of them? Considering that South Korea is a developed economy, this fellow is – most likely - the dedicated electric pickup rather than the one for emerging markets.

Kia Club Official, which isn’t officially affiliated with Kia, says that a 3.0-liter turbo diesel V6 may be in the offing in addition to an all-electric drive, which doesn’t make sense given the automaker’s choice of words. “Dedicated electric pickup truck” means just that, full stop. Kia Club Official further notes a rigid rear axle, a self-locking diff, and a transfer case, which aren’t compatible with the E-GMP platform of the EV6.

Whatever this prototype may preview, there’s no denying that Kia is getting serious about launching a pickup truck – or two – in the near future.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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