Kia has confirmed that an electric version of its Tasman ute is coming.
The Head of Marketing for Kia South Africa recently said that the company is working on an electric version of the Tasman. Earlier speculation indicated that Kia was favouring a PHEV variant. This new scenario makes it more likely Tasman will sell in the US, because Kia is planning to make EVs in Georgia.
Until recently, the concept of an electric Tasman seemed unlikely. That’s because Kia had been spotted testing a mid-sized pick-up based on the EV9 platform in California. The company has also mentioned its desire to have a full-size pick-up rival for the Ford F-150 Lightning. The Tasman’s role in Kia’s electrification plans seemed limited to a PHEV.
Perhaps, however, Kia is prepared to make use of the Tasman’s modular platform to deliver a mid-sized electric ute sooner than expected.
Building the electric Tasman in Georgia would help the automaker circumvent the 25 per cent tax on imported pick-ups, making it competitive in the US.
If Kia decides to manufacture the electric Tasman in the States, it increases the likelihood of it building ICE power versions there too. This would then give it a direct competitor to the likes of the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger.
Kia’s move to develop an electric Tasman is noteworthy given the lack of competition in the US market. BYD’s electric Shark 6 will not be coming to the US because of prohibitive tariffs. And of the mid-size PHEV and BEV pick-ups planned for the US, the Tasman pair will probably be the most affordable.
Kia’s intentions for the US market may extend beyond just the Tasman EV. The company is evidently testing a high-powered petrol variant in the US, borrowing the Stinger’s 274kW/510Nm 3.3L twin-turbo V6 engine. So Kia is clearly thinking big for the pick-up sector in the US.
Whether or not the Tasman EV will use the new ute’s modular body, or perhaps borrow the monocoque the EV9 uses is not yet clear. It may not even share the Tasman name in the US. It’s possible that the EV9-based pick-up will be a city slicker. If so, it is likely to borrow the SUV’s 98kWh battery and have an expected range of around 500km. With output of 283kW/700Nm from its dual-motor set-up, it will also have AWD. Moreover, there have been recent reports of a Tasman testing in the US without a visible exhaust pipe.
There are rumours that an electric Tasman will later join the ICE-power variant due in the Australian market midway through 2025. That’s in part because of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard that’s due for introduction in the new year.
