Kia confirms the first mid-size pickup in the United States

Kia’s upcoming trucks to be built in the United States and are expected to produce modern siblings

If you want to join the major leagues in the U.S. auto market, it’s better to bring a pickup truck to the party. This is not the fact that Kia has lost. The company’s CEO has confirmed that Kia plans to enter the North American mid-sized pickup space with a new model, which will be completely separated from the Tasman, which plans to be other global markets.

More: Kia Strong Tasman, Ford Ranger Raptor competitors are not ruled out

Kia CEO Ho Sung Song shared the update Thursday and provided a preview of what is coming: “Next week we will provide more details on pickups in the U.S., but overall… we are learning now.” It is expected to be officially announced on Kia Investors Day, which will take place on April 9.

Kia has trucks for the United States, but not That truck

The statement was made at the ongoing Seoul Mobile Show in South Korea, where Kia launched the rugged “weekend” version of the Tasman. But, just in case there is lingering chaos, Song made it clear: Tasman has not arrived in the United States.

“We don’t develop that car (Tasman) for the U.S. market.” automatic While watching the show. “But at the same time, we are now seriously investigating how to enter the pickup truck market in the United States through different models that are not Tasman.”

Electric on the table, assembly in the United States is likely

While no details are provided about which powertrain the future pickup might use, sources previously suggested it might be an electric model. Industry rumors point to a possibility with the siblings of modern brands sometime between 2026 and 2029. Both are expected to be assembled in Georgia’s modern Metaplant America facility, rather than just avoiding ongoing trade tensions, but more critically, avoiding the infamous chicken tax 25% tariff on imported trucks.

More: Hyundai Motor invests $21 billion in the U.S. to avoid Trump’s tariffs

The current U.S. mid-sized pickup scene is dominated by internal combustion directions such as Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator. All-electric trucks (including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and Tesla Cybertruck) tend to sit in the larger category, which provides Kia with a more compact, compact, and compact EV-friendly alternative.

Kia’s bigger plan for commercial electric vehicles

Meanwhile, Tasman will launch traditional gas and diesel powertrains in markets such as South Korea, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. It is unclear whether Kia’s American pickups will borrow design elements or practical features from polarized Tasmans or take a completely different path.

Kia surpasses pickup trucks and starts with PV5 trucks and is preparing to expand its lineup of electric light commercial vehicles. PV7 and PV9 will follow. CEO Song expanded this into new segments, including LCV and Pickups, which is an “opportunity” for the brand, “not a risk”.