Kia’s long-rumoured and long-awaited one-tonne bakkie is inching closer to reality, according to the latest reports out of Australia.
Drive says senior executives at Kia Australia have told the publication that the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger rival is set to be revealed in 2024, ahead of going into production in South Korea during the first half of 2025.
The Aussie division is of course heavily involved in the Kia project, given that it will be one of the new ute’s key markets, and it’s also strongly rumoured, albeit not yet confirmed, that the vehicle will be called Tasman.
Although it’s too early to say whether the vehicle will be offered in South Africa, it’s unlikely that Kia SA would turn down the chance to get in on this market.
There’s also likely to be a Hyundai version of the new bakkie, and Hyundai SA has previously indicated to us that it was keen on introducing such a vehicle as soon as it became available internationally.
Early prototypes of the new Kia one-tonner have been spotted abroad, using body parts from the Kia Mohave, but it’s likely that the production model will feature different skin to these testing ‘mules’.
Development of the Kia Tasman ute is in full swing. Here are the latest timing estimates of when it will be unveiled and when it will be on sale. https://t.co/dphoCPRjf9
— Drive (@drivecomau) August 15, 2023
Exactly what powers the Kia ‘Tasman’ remains to be seen, but the 2.2-litre turbodiesel that currently does service in the Sorento is a very likely candidate, given that the Aussies like their diesel bakkies every bit as much as we do.
A fully electric variant also seems to be on the cards.
Back in 2022, Kia announced that it was working on two electric pick-up trucks. While one of these is set to be a unibody vehicle similar in concept to the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the other has been described as a strategic model for emerging markets (EM).
Automotive News elaborated on this, reporting that this strategic EM model would be built around a multi-powertrain ladder frame platform that would accommodate both internal combustion and electric powertrains.
This of course, makes a great deal of sense, given both the anticipated growth of the global EV market and the fact that many EMs are not yet ready to electrify to a large degree.
Nonetheless, Kia is aiming to increase sales of its fully electric vehicles to over 800 000 units a year by 2026, and 1.2 million by 2030.