Scoffed at by many, the Tesla Cybertruck was meant to serve as inspiration for traditional automakers. Hyundai seems to be the first to take notice after reports from Korea indicate that the automaker has already disassembled a Cybertruck. The Koreans are planning to launch an electric pickup truck in the United States and can use all the inspiration they can find.
The Tesla Cybertruck has introduced many cutting-edge technologies to the automotive industry, becoming a technological showcase for Tesla’s engineering prowess. There’s a lot that traditional automakers will have to digest if they want to successfully compete in the electric pickup market, starting with gigabit interconnectivity and steer-by-wire. While many have derided Elon Musk’s creation, it’s almost certain that many of the Cybertruck’s features will be copied.
Hyundai electric vehicles have been praised for their technological advancements, including their one-of-a-kind 800-volt electrical system. Electric vehicle segment. Hyundai’s efforts have been noticed and the results are already in, with the Korean automaker achieving a 5.1% market share in the second quarter, according to Kelley Blue Book. Together with its sister brand, Kia, Hyundai holds more than 10% of the U.S. EV market, surpassing all other automakers except Tesla.
However, the Koreans are fully aware that they need a pickup truck to succeed in the United States. The Hyundai Santa Cruz, the compact unibody pickup derived from the Tucson, has not received a warm reception. In 2023, the Santa Cruz ranked 12th in pickup sales in the United States, with just 36,000 units sold. That's why Kia is now accelerating development of the Tasman, a body-on-frame midsize pickup that will rival the Ford Ranger. The Kia Tasman will certainly have a Hyundai-branded variant, as is always the case, although the design may differ.
However, Hyundai has its eyes on the bigger prize: a full-size electric pickup truck to compete with the Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning. Success in this segment will secure the company’s future in the United States. That’s why Hyundai has reportedly conducted a teardown of the Tesla Cybertruck at its Namyang Research Center in Korea. The teardown was completed in late July, and Hyundai engineers are now analyzing the data as executives weigh their decisions.
However, with many automakers reporting a slowdown in electric vehicle sales, Hyundai isn’t convinced that an electric pickup is the best solution for the current times. The Koreans want their truck to offer more than 310 miles (500 km) of range when towing an 8,800-pound (4,000 kg) trailer, which isn’t possible with current technology. Hyundai was also encouraged by a slew of Chinese automakers that showed off extended-range pickups at the Beijing auto show in April.
That explains why Hyundai is also considering a range extender setup similar to the Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The Ramcharger has a combined range (battery plus fuel) of 690 miles (1,110 km). That means it could easily go more than 300 miles towing a trailer. Electric pickups tend to lose more than half their range when towing, but a range extender can significantly improve towing performance.