Hyundai pick-up could bring electric option

Hyundai’s Toyota HiLux rival has been confirmed for Australian release no later than 2021 and it might even be battery-powered.

A full line-up going from utilitarian cab-chassis to luxury dual-cab is on the list for Australia, as well as a three-row SUV derivative with serious off-road capability to make it a direct rival for the all-conquering Toyota Prado.

And while you can expect all the usual body styles and turbo-diesel drivetrains, a battery-electric option is also a real chance.

“These are things we are talking about,” Hyundai Australia chief operating officer Scott Grant told carsales.com.au.

While openly discussed by Hyundai Australia execs desperate to add another big seller to their armoury, the Korean brand’s first ute has been always classified as ‘under study’ rather than ‘underway’.

But that’s clearly changed now, with Grant declaring the ute a key plank in Hyundai Australia’s bid to make its next big jump, from close to 100,000 sales per annum now to 120,000 and establish the Korean brand as number two in the market behind Toyota.

“For us it’s about the next great sales spurt, taking us to 120,000 sales and past Mazda,” said Grant. “That’s the thing for us.

“The ute is key. The light commercial vehicle in various forms is key to that.

“The company has said globally that’s in development now and it will be out in the back-end of 2020 or 2021.”

Considering the Australian love affair with utes and SUVs, especially high-end models with plenty of profit margin in them for importers, it’s no surprise the local Hyundai outpost has been hammering on Seoul’s door for the ute and its wagon spin-off, providing as much input regarding its specification as it can.

“Our request has been everything from cab-chassis, single-, double- and extra-cab -- all the usual sort of stuff,” said Grant.

“We have a fairly strong and arduous list of minimum starting positons in terms of towing and other things that you need in Australia, otherwise you are not in the game.

“Those kinds of things have been made really clear and then you get into derivatives off that that give you a Prado-type product opportunity.”

Asked if Hyundai could do something to redefine the crowded ute market that apart from the Toyota HiLux already has strong entries including the Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Mitsubishi Triton, Holden Colorado, Nissan Navara and Mercedes-Benz X-class, Grant responded:

“How about an electric commercial vehicle. How would that go? Lots of torque.”

Grant confirmed he was talking about a battery-electric ute, rather than a fuel-cell vehicle. Hyundai has investments in both forms of electrification.

“There is a lot of discussion about that [EV ute] stuff,” added Grant. “But there’s not anything we can say at the moment and there’s no real firm commitment that the configuration would come to the market.

“There has been a comment made that we as a company will produce these sorts of vehicles, mainly structured in the Asian market, which will include us.

“Your HiLuxes and Rangers will be benchmarks.”

Hyundai Australia is counting on further volume boost from what it calls eco products such as the freshly launched IONIQ and other electrified vehicles and a sub-Kona SUV.

Meanwhile, the Tucson-based monocoque Santa Cruz ute remains of no interest to Hyundai Australia and the large monocoque Palisade SUV is a left-hand drive only proposition.