Two Kia utes confirmed for 2026 with electric power, Australian plans unclear

South Korean car maker Kia has confirmed plans to launch two new utes in 2026 – but rather than petrol or diesel, they will use all-electric power.

Kia has long been rumoured to be secretly working on a dual-cab ute targeting Australia's top-selling Toyota HiLux – however until now, it was believed this vehicle would be powered by petrol or diesel.

Instead, in an announcement to investors today, Kia said it plans to launch two "electric pick-ups" in 2026 – one a "dedicated" model bound for developed and emerging markets, and the other a "strategic model aimed at emerging markets".

While this does not necessarily exclude a diesel pick-up at some point in the future, Australian plans for either of the electric utes announced today are yet to be confirmed for our market.

Kia Australia declined to comment on the latest global pick-up plans, however the company has previously expressed interest in getting a dual-cab ute in local showrooms as soon as possible.

With a dual-cab ute in its range, Kia and its sister brand Hyundai would have a chance at overtaking Mazda for second place on the new-car sales charts in Australia.

It's not clear just how large the new utes will be, and if they will be sized similarly to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger – or full-size US pick-ups, or both.

With the dedicated electric ute expected to be produced in the US – targeting US customers – it's possible one of the new models will be closer in size to full-size US pick-ups, such as the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500.

Fewer details are known about the "emerging market" pick-up, though Kia's wording suggests it could share its underpinnings with an upcoming petrol or diesel-powered ute – though such a model isn't currently offered anywhere by Kia, or its sister brands Hyundai and Genesis.

Although the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are marketed as flagship vehicles in Australia, they were in fact designed for emerging markets and developing countries, and are built at a budget price compared to the US pick-ups.

Meanwhile, in a win for performance fans, in the same briefing Kia confirmed "all BEV [battery-electric] models" will offer a high-performance GT variant – including the new utes.

However, they're likely to be focused towards on-road performance – similar to the EV6 GT, and its 3.5-second 0-100km/h time – rather than, for example, the off-road capability of a Ford F-150 Raptor or Ford Ranger Raptor.

Both Kia utes will reportedly benefit from over-the-air software updates – as with the new Ford Ranger – and in the case of the US market pick-up, the availability of 'AutoMode' semi-autonomous driving technology.

The Kia ute announcement follows those by sister brand Hyundai earlier today, with the company confirming it will launch an electric "light commercial vehicle" by 2030 – a category which would suggest a light truck, van or, crucially, a ute.

The South Korean car giant said its new ute will form part of a broader plan to offer 14 electric vehicles globally by 2027 – up from the 11 promised a year ago, thanks to the addition of the two pick-ups, and an "entry-level ... model".

"In the United States, where mid-sized SUVs and pickups are popular, electric versions of these models will be produced locally from 2024," Kia says.

The car maker will launch at least two new electric vehicles each year, starting in 2023 with the EV9: a five-metre-long, Hyundai Palisade-sized SUV offering approximately 540km of driving range, a 0-100km/h time of five seconds, and fast charging capability allowing 100km of range to be added in six minutes.

Kia targets 807,000 electric vehicle sales in 2026, ahead of 1.2 million global sales in 2030 – the latter a 36 per cent increase on the sales target announced last year.