Hyundai will introduce an electric pick-up in the coming years, brand president and chief creative officer Luc Donkerwolke has confirmed.
Speaking with Chasing Cars and Australian media at New York Auto Show, the senior executive affirmed that electric utes have been studied closely, including by Genesis – but that Hyundai is the right brand to take the concept further.
Trademark filings by Hyundai in Australia have revealed that the brand has reserved the name Ioniq T10, which would be the likely branding for the confirmed EV pick-up.
Hyundai is building an electric ute, likely larger than a Santa Cruz
While the Hyundai version is proceeding to production, luxury arm Genesis has also built and tested experimental electric pick-up designs, according to Donkerwolke.
“We have done EV pick-ups. We have done a lot of things that nobody asked us to do. We have experimented but we have decided we’re not going to make a Genesis EV pick-up,” said Donkerwolke.
“We [develop a lot of experimental products] just to be ready, because you never know.
Hyundai hasn’t said whether the ute will be unibody or body-on-frame
“I love pick-ups – I own a Shelby Raptor, the only one in Europe. But we have to be careful. We have Hyundai, Kia and Genesis. For Genesis, no [to an EV pick-up].”
Pressed on whether Hyundai would take the electric pick-up or ute concept to production, Donkerwolke was clear. The answer is “yes.”
However, the C-suite executive would not be drawn on whether Hyundai was pressing forward with a unibody vehicle or a tougher body-on-frame design.
The ute market is continuing to develop, with Kia to introduce their ute soon
“We have noticed the different problems of the Big Three [Ford, Chevrolet and Stellantis] coming with EV pickups,” Donkerwolke said.
Poor range, especially while towing, have limited appeal of the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T electric utes in the United States – at least among heavy-duty customers.
“There are different types of customers. The customers on the coast are different to those in the Midwest. Most of the customers of pick-ups are quite traditional. You will always have a certain success in [cities] with a small, fashionable [EV ute]. But the ‘real’ pick-up user in Colorado wants [something tougher].
Pushed on what choice Hyundai had made – urban or tough – Donkerwolke said he couldn’t say at this stage.In 2025, sister brand Kia will introduce the diesel-powered, body-on-frame Tasman ute, and it is understood that the platform is capable of full electrification.
