Mocked by many, the Tesla Cybertruck was certain to serve as an inspiration for the legacy carmakers. Hyundai appears to be the first to consider it after reports from Korea indicate that the carmaker has already torn down a Cybertruck. The Koreans have plans to launch an electric pickup truck in the US, and they can use all the inspiration they can find.
Tesla Cybertruck has introduced a lot of cutting-edge technologies to the automotive industry, becoming a technological showcase for Tesla’s engineering prowess. There’s a lot legacy carmakers will have to digest if they want to successfully compete in the electric pickup truck market, starting with the Gigabit interconnect and the steer-by-wire system. Even though many have mocked Elon Musk’s baby, it’s almost certain that many of the Cybertruck features will be copied.
Hyundai EVs have been praised for their technological advancements, including the 800-volt electrical system that is unique in the volume EV segment. Hyundai’s efforts have been noticed, and the results are already in, with the Korean carmaker reaching a 5.1% market share in the second quarter, according to Kelley Blue Book. Together with its sister brand, Kia, Hyundai commands over 10% of the US EV market, surpassing all other car companies except Tesla.
However, the Koreans are fully aware that they need a pickup truck to be successful in the US. Hyundai Santa Cruz, the compact unibody pickup derived from the Tucson, has not received a warm welcome. In 2023, Santa Cruz ranked 12th in the US pickup truck sales, with only 36,000 units sold. This is why Kia is now speeding up the development of the Tasman, a body-on-frame mid-size pickup rivaling the Ford Ranger. The Kia Tasman will certainly have a Hyundai-badged variant, as is always the case, even though the design might differ.
However, Hyundai has its eyes on the bigger prize: a full-size electric pickup truck to compete with the Tesla Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning. Success in this segment will secure the company’s future in the US. This is why Hyundai has reportedly conducted a teardown of the Tesla Cybertruck at its Namyang Research Center in Korea. The operation was completed at the end of July, and Hyundai engineers are now analyzing the data while the bosses are weighing decisions.
However, given that many carmakers reported a slowdown in EV sales, Hyundai is not convinced that an electric pickup is the best solution for current times. The Koreans want their truck to offer over 310 miles (500 km) of range while towing an 8,800-lb (4,000 kg) trailer, which is not possible with current technology. Hyundai was also encouraged by a host of Chinese carmakers showcasing range-extender pickup trucks at the Beijing Motor Show in April.
This explains why Hyundai is also considering a range extender setup similar to the Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The Ramcharger has a combined (battery plus fuel) range of 690 miles (1,110 km). This means it could easily go more than 300 miles while towing a trailer. Electric pickup trucks tend to lose more than half their range when towing, but a range extender can vastly improve towing performance.
