Is Hyundai already planning to attack Tesla’s new Cybertruck? After dismantling and analyzing the Tesla Cybertruck, Hyundai is looking to make a comeback in the US pickup truck market.

Hyundai dismantles the Tesla Cybertruck for analysis

Hyundai Motor Company, which also owns Kia and Genesis, posted a record year in the U.S. in 2023. After overtaking Jeep owner Stellantis, Honda and Nissan in sales last year, Hyundai became the fourth-largest American automaker.

Now that the ball is in the South Korean automaker’s court, Hyundai has no plans to let up. Hyundai is missing out on one of the biggest segments in the U.S. auto market: pickup trucks.

Accordingly Cox CarLarge pickup trucks accounted for 13.7% of new car sales in June, outperforming midsize (5.4%) and compact (7.6%).

A new exclusive report from Korea’s Naver claims that Hyundai’s Namyang Research Center began taking apart the Tesla Cybertruck (see our review) for analysis last month. After the tests were completed on July 28, the xEV TF team in charge of EREV research and development made it a priority.

Plans to conquer the booming US pickup market

Hyundai and Kia want to “conquer” the US pickup market, according to the report. Hyundai plans to build over 50,000 extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) annually starting in 2029.

On the other hand, Kia has been teasing its first pickup truck, the Tasman, ahead of its debut later this year.

The Kia pickup will be launched in Korea, Australia, Africa and the Middle East in the first half of 2025. However, Kia has not yet announced whether it will be available in the United States.

Kia announced plans to launch two electric pickup trucks in 2022: a dedicated model and another for strategic emerging markets.

Will there be a Hyundai or Kia electric pickup truck in the US after the Tesla Cybertruck is dismantled? The report claims that Hyundai is focusing on EREV technology after China’s big impact at the Beijing Motor Show.

This is not the first time that Hyundai has tested a rival brand’s electric pickup. Last month, a Ford F-150 Lightning with Korean test license plates was spotted near the Hyundai plant.

Tesla’s Cybertuck surpassed Ford’s Lightning in U.S. registrations in May to become the best-selling electric pickup truck. According to data from S&P Global Mobility, the Cybertruck was the fifth-best-selling electric vehicle in the U.S. in May, while the Lightning came in 10th.

After the Tesla Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning were already spotted in Hyundai’s backyard, a pickup truck seems more than likely.

Hyundai’s Santa Cruz was expected to be the model, but it ranked only 12th in U.S. pickup sales last year. Hyundai has sold about 20,500 Santa Cruz models in the U.S. through July 2024, down 10% from last year.

Ford has sold more than 421,000 F-Series trucks so far this year, including nearly 18,500 Lightning models.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is completing final testing of its first electric SUV with three rows of seats, the IONIQ 9. Hyundai is expected to officially unveil the IONIQ 9 at the LA Auto Show in November as the automaker looks to maintain momentum.

Would you buy the Hyundai or Kia pickup? Or will you stick with Tesla’s Cybertruck or the F-150 Lightning? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Naver