- Kia will launch two extended-range electric vehicles in the U.S. by the end of the decade.
- It will also increase the number of hybrids on offer.
- The Kia Telluride EREV launches in 2029, and a large EREV pickup should also be on sale by 2030.
Kia is aiming for the heart of the American auto market with both a body-on-frame pickup truck and a new version of the Telluride three-row SUV launching by the end of the decade. The models will be available as hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), the automaker said during its 2026 CEO Investor Day in Seoul.
“EVs, HEVs, autonomous driving, and robotics will serve as key drivers for Kia’s fastest growth to date,” Kia President and CEO Ho Sung Song said at the event.
As EV sales in the U.S. slow due to softer demand and policy whiplash, many car companies are doubling down on conventional hybrids and exploring new avenues for electrifying their lineups, like EREVs.
Ford, Jeep, Ram, and Scout Motors have all confirmed EREVs for the U.S. market. Now Kia is the latest to join that trend. These vehicles can be refueled like a gas car and recharged like an EV, providing the benefits of both powertrains. Electric motors power the wheels, while a gas generator feeds in backup power when the battery runs low.
The new body-on-frame truck will hit the U.S. by 2030, Kia said. Kia already sells the Tasman pickup in Australia, the Middle East, South America, and Africa. This would be the first time it’s bringing that body style to the U.S. Its sister brand, Hyundai, revealed the Boulder body-on-frame SUV concept at the New York Auto Show last week. It’s a full-size SUV with design cues of the Ford Bronco and the Land Rover Defender. While Hyundai didn’t comment on the Boulder’s powertrain, it could get the same EREV powertrain, given how much technology-sharing goes on between the two companies.
Kia launched the Telluride hybrid this year. It will be joined by an EREV version by 2029, the company said at the investor event. So far, Kia has not shared any specs or details beyond that. Last year, Hyundai also announced plans for an EREV with 600 miles of combined range, without spilling any specifics.
EREV tech makes sense for boxy, large vehicles like trucks and three-row SUVs specifically. That's because the big batteries needed to fully electrify them cost a ton and jack up the end price to the consumer. In theory, an EREV would need a smaller battery.
The automaker is also planning to increase its hybrid lineup in the U.S. from five models currently to eight by the end of the decade. The Niro, Sorento, Sportage, Carnival, and Telluride are already hybridized. They will be joined by the Seltos Hybrid this year, as well as hybrid versions of the K5, K4, and the yet-to-be-named pickup truck.
By the end of the decade, Kia targets annual sales of 4.13 million units. It expects 1.15 million of those to be various kinds of hybrids (including EREVs) and 1 million to be EVs.
Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
