Kia to Launch Electric Pickup Truck in the U.S. Market

Kia plans to launch a midsize pickup truck in the U.S. market by 2030, available in both all-electric and extended-range versions, as part of a strategy to increase its market share in the United States.

This was revealed by CEO Ho Sung Song during the annual investor conference held this week in Seoul, where he detailed that the goal is to reach annual sales of 1.02 million vehicles and a 6.2% market share in that market.

To meet this goal, the company will need to increase the volume of vehicles sold last year in the United States by approximately 20%, which stood at just over 852,000 units, equivalent to a market share of around 5.2%.

The Kia pickup will offer ample interior space, as well as off-road and towing capabilities, the executive reported, while a promotional image showed a double-cab pickup towing a trailer.

The Korean automaker plans to compete with models such as the Toyota Tacoma, the current segment leader, the Ford Ranger, the Chevrolet Colorado, and the Rivian R1T, among others, with the goal of selling 90,000 units annually in North America and capturing 7% of the midsize pickup truck segment by 2034.

The executive added that Kia aims to increase its hybrid vehicle (HEV) sales from 690,000 units in 2026 to 1.1 million units annually by 2030, for which it will expand production capacity by an additional 400,000 hybrid vehicles in the medium to long term.

To meet the growing demand for internal combustion engine (ICE) and HEV models in emerging markets, Kia will leverage its production plants in Korea, China, India, and Mexico as key supply hubs, Ho Sung Song explained

In the short term, the company will ease the transition to electrification by expanding its range of hybrid vehicles and improving supply flexibility through three key production hubs: Mexico, Korea, and Slovakia.