Kia trucks have been spotted in underground parking lots, and Tesla is talking about its next-generation platform.
This is AM Drive, Motor1's daily review of the news you need before you get in the car.
Kia Pickup Truck Spotted Close Up
After beefing up its portfolio with a slew of SUVs, sedans and hatchbacks, Kia is set to enter the lucrative full-size pickup segment. Unlike the company’s Bongo over-cab pickup, the new model has global aspirations. Ahead of its launch, a heavily camouflaged prototype has been filmed up close.
Spotted in an underground parking lot in South Korea, Kia’s flagship has a dual-cab body style hidden beneath all its disguise. Judging by the cutouts in the camouflage, the car appears to have a Telluride-like front fascia with vertical headlights flanking a wide grille. However, the two are unlikely to share a platform as the latter is expected to adopt a ladder frame chassis while the full-size SUV has a unibody construction.
Believed to be called the Kia Tasman, the pickup rides on 17-inch alloy wheels with 265/65 R17 Kumho Crugen tires. It’s believed to be more similar in size to the Ford Ranger than the compact Maverick, though it’s honestly hard to say for sure based on these spy videos. We do get a peek inside and you can tell it’s just a prototype based on the cheap-looking plastic door panels.
There is something interesting next to the gear lever. We see switches for 2H, 4H, 4L modes. That means the prototype has selectable two-wheel drive and low-range four-wheel drive for tricky road conditions.
Australian Magazine Car sell reports a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine will send power to the wheels via an automatic or manual transmission. In addition to this four-door version, the Kia Tasman will allegedly be offered as a single-cab and even as a chassis cab for commercial use. Furthermore, a pure electric configuration is said to be on the market.
The Tasman (codenamed “TK”) will be built in Korea and could be officially revealed as early as this March. Its design is said to be revealed in the fourth quarter of 2024 ahead of a market launch next year. A larger Kia electric truck built in North America is rumored to arrive before the end of the decade.
Tesla Working on Next-Generation Platform
Tesla’s fourth-quarter earnings report included some interesting tidbits culled from a lengthy, numbers-filled press release. The company is working on a next-generation platform that it says will “revolutionize the way vehicles are built.” The goal is to bring this new architecture to market soon and build electric vehicles using this hardware at its Gigafactory in Texas.
Tesla went on to say that they have made progress with the new platform, but without providing further details. However, Reuters Suppliers have reportedly been briefed on a new compact crossover codenamed “Redwood.” The crossover is reportedly scheduled to go into production in June 2025. That timeline would align with Elon Musk’s statements on a post-earnings call where he said the next-generation EV would hit the assembly line in Texas starting in the second half of 2025.
The entry-level Tesla is planned to have a tentative starting price of $25,000. This price will allow the company to better compete with gas-powered cars as well as an influx of affordable Chinese electric vehicles. Currently, the most affordable Tesla in the United States is the Model 3, which starts at $38,990 (before incentives).
After starting production in Texas in mid-2025, Tesla could also add the low-cost crossover to its upcoming Gigafactory Mexico near Monterrey. Reuters claims a decision on the location of a third factory where EVs will be assembled, outside North America, will be made later this year.
