Kia to launch two electric utes

Kia has at last confirmed it will introduce a dual-cab ute to its global model line-up, announcing that not one but two electric utes will be among 14 new EVs it now plans to launch between now and 2027.

While Kia Australia is still holding out for the Toyota HiLux-rivalling conventional mid-size one-tonne ute it has talked about for at least five years, the Korean brand will also have its hand firmly in the air for the two electric load-haulers, as well as most of the other new EVs that are yet to be detailed or revealed.

Announcing its ambitious new global EV strategy today, Kia said one of the utes will be a “strategic model for emerging markets” while the other will be a “dedicated electric pick-up truck”, leading us to believe the duo will book-end the traditional ute hierarchy in terms of configuration, price and specification.

With the LDV EVT60 unconfirmed for Australia and the production version of the Toyota Pickup EV not expected here until well into the second half of the decade, Kia could end up with the monopoly on the admittedly niche (for now) electric ute segment, depending on when exactly it materialises and if Hyundai decides to join the party.

Now that the Kia EV6 has landed Down Under, the next electric Kia model off the ranks should be the Prado-sized 2023 Kia EV9, which will serve as the all-electric flagship of the entire Kia portfolio.

Like its sister company Hyundai, Kia is primed and ready to invest copious amounts of cash into developing its connectivity and autonomous driving technology, and the EV9 will serve as the instigator of a range-wide rollout.

“With the availability of OTA software update (Over-the-Air) and FoD (Feature-on-Demand) services across the Kia line-up, customers will be able to keep their vehicles up-to-date with various features and technologies,” the brand said in a statement.

“By 2026, all new models launched in major markets will be available with AutoMode autonomous driving technology.”

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According to Kia Corporation president and CEO Ho Sung Song, the Korean brand has been undergoing a full-scale transformation in recent times, including changes to its corporate vision, logo, product, design and strategies.

“We will become even more customer-centric in our approach and pursue a dynamic transformation while maintaining sound business operations.”

Kia’s accelerated mid-term business plan today also called for four million annual vehicle sales globally by 2030, including 1.2 million EVs every year.