Kia Electric Truck Prototype Spotted in California Ahead of 2027 Launch

A new Kia electric truck, slated for a 2027 release, has been spotted testing in California. Featuring parts from the EV9 and Hyundai Santa Cruz, the test mule hints at Kia’s expanding electric lineup.

Just over a year ago, Kia revealed plans to launch two electric trucks by 2027. Recently, one of these trucks was spotted undergoing testing in California, cloaked in heavy camouflage. This is not the recently announced Tasman, which has a different appearance and will initially feature a combustion engine. The test vehicle is likely a test mule, incorporating parts from other models.

Despite the disguise, several features stand out. The truck sports headlights and mirrors from the EV9, along with taillights from the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The side mirror pillars are mounted lower on the doors, contrasting with the Tasman’s design, where they sit at the base of the A-pillars. The wheel arches are rounded, differing from the Tasman’s angular design, and the truck features flush door handles.

Both the mystery truck and the Tasman have a double cab body style with relatively small cargo beds and a six-lug nut configuration. This electric truck, like the Tasman spotted in the U.S., has Michigan plates and orange side markers in the headlights, indicating it’s a US-spec vehicle. Its blue front bumper resembles the EV9, but the rest of the truck is gray, with white mirrors and red tow hook covers.

Given that this appears to be a test mule, a market launch is unlikely before 2026. It’s unclear whether this vehicle is a modified EV9 or an entirely new model. The Tasman, set to launch next year in select regions with a turbodiesel engine, will use a body-on-frame platform. A recent Kia video about vehicle design showed several pickups under red covers, hinting at more models in development.

In March 2022, Kia announced that one of the two electric trucks would be a «dedicated» model, and the other a «strategic» vehicle for emerging markets. The Tasman likely falls into the latter category, with an EV version expected later in the decade. Interestingly, Kia is testing the Tasman in the U.S., even though its release in North America has not been confirmed.

Kia seems poised to introduce at least one truck to the North American market in the coming years. Ideally, it will be built domestically to avoid the 25-percent «Chicken Tax» on imported light trucks and to qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit. The EV9, set to be produced at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia, will qualify for the full tax credit once its battery pack production begins in Savannah, Georgia next year.