Is Hyundai already making plans to take on Tesla’s new Cybertruck? Following the teardown and investigation of the Tesla Cybertruck, Hyundai needs to return to the US truck market.
Hyundai Motor Company, adding Kia and Genesis, had a record year in the United States in 2023. After surpassing Jeep owners Stellantis, Honda and Nissan in sales last year, Hyundai is the fourth largest automaker from USA
Now that the ball is in the South Korean manufacturer’s court, Hyundai has no intention of giving in. Hyundai is missing one of the major segments of the U. S. auto market: pickup trucks.
According to Cox Automotive, full-size pickup trucks accounted for 13. 7% of new vehicle sales in June, ahead of midsize (5. 4%) and compact (7. 6%) trucks.
A new exclusive report from Korea’s Naver claims that Hyundai’s Namyang Research Center began demolishing the Tesla Cybertruck (see our review) for studies last month. After testing ends on July 28, the xEV TF team in the pace of studies and EREV progression is making it a priority.
Hyundai and Kia will “conquer” the U. S. pickup truck market, according to the report. Hyundai plans to build more than 50,000 extended range electric cars (EREV) in a year starting in 2029.
On the other hand, Kia unveiled its first pickup truck, the Tasman, ahead of its debut later this year.
The Kia pickup truck will be introduced in Korea, Australia, Africa and the Middle East in the first part of 2025. However, Kia has not yet announced that it will land in the United States.
Kia has announced plans to launch two electric pickups in 2022 – a committed style and for strategic emerging markets.
After the Tesla Cybertruck is dismantled, will we see a Hyundai or Kia pickup truck arrive in the United States?The report states that Hyundai is focusing on the EREV generation following China’s large-scale influence at the Beijing Motor Show.
This isn’t the first time Hyundai has tested a rival brand’s electric pickup. Last month, a Ford F-150 Lightning with Korean check plates was spotted near Hyundai’s facility.
Tesla’s Cybertuck surpassed Ford’s Lightning in United States registrations in May and became the best-selling electric pickup. According to S
With the Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning spotted in Hyundai’s backyard, a pickup truck is more than likely.
Hyundai’s Santa Cruz was expected to be chosen, however, it ranked 12th in pickup truck sales in the United States last year. Hyundai sold about 20,500 Santa Cruz models in the United States through July 2024, down 10% from last year.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is relative good luck for the brand, and an “electrified” generation moment confirms it. And Kia dealers are clamoring for a pickup, so there’s some demand. Still, there’s a big difference between a compact styling like the SC or even a midsize styling like the Tasman and full-size F-150, and I think Hyundai recognizes that correctly. Hyundai invests A LOT in competitive benchmarking, even in segments they don’t play in, so I wouldn’t interpret it as a Lightning competitor. Enters.
Ford has sold more than 421,000 F-Series trucks this year, of which approximately 18,500 are Lightning models.
Meanwhile, Hyundai is completing the latest version of its first three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ nine. Hyundai is expected to officially unveil the IONIQ nine in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show, as the automaker looks to continue its momentum.
Do you want the Hyundai or Kia pickup truck? Or do you stick with Tesla’s Cybertruck or the F-150 Lightning?Let us know in the comments.
Source: Naver
Peter Johnson covers the automotive industry’s step-by-step transformation to electric vehicles. He is a seasoned investor, money writer, and electric vehicle enthusiast. His enthusiasm for electric vehicles, basically Tesla, is one of the main reasons why he pursued a career in investments. . If he doesn’t tell you about his latest discoveries in the 10K, you can locate him enjoying the outdoors or exercising.