HYUNDAI’S big ute gap is about to get plugged – though it’s trying like being years away from showrooms.
However moderately than a long-mooted EV or the SUV-based Santa Cruz (pictured) offered in America, the Korean model is ready to muscle up with a ladder body workhorse ute to rival the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux that dominate with gross sales.
Talking on the launch of the brand new Inster small electrical SUV, newly appointed Hyundai Australia CEO Don Romano nominated a ute as considered one of his priorities for his circa three-year tenure Down Below.
“We’re the one main model with no ute,” he stated.
“There is a chance … and we’ve got to be a part of that chance. My purpose in three years is to get a manufacturing plan in place.”
That’s the excellent news…
The dangerous information is {that a} manufacturing plan could be very completely different to a automotive in manufacturing, with Mr Romano conceding a showroom arrival for his yet-to-be-confirmed ute would probably be three or 4 years away.
And the Hyundai ute seems to be set to take a really completely different kind to what’s dominating the gross sales charts right this moment.
Whereas Romano nominates the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux because the benchmarks he needs to topple, he doesn’t plan on reshaping the market with a diesel engine, as sister model Kia is planning with its Tasman ute that’s readying for launch.
“I do have considerations with the diesel engine just because I feel a variety of (automotive) corporations proper now are burying their heads within the sand when it comes all the way down to the NVES necessities,” he stated, referencing the New Automobile Effectivity Normal that’s set to make life powerful for non-hybrid drivetrains as a result of strict CO2 emissions rules.
Whereas he didn’t rule out a diesel engine in a Hyundai ute, he stated it could solely be a “non permanent” answer and one that may require electrified considering to take over as soon as CO2 targets toughened.
“I’d moderately have a singular drivetrain in 4 years than a diesel in a single 12 months that would value me more cash down the street,” he defined.
He stated the electrified route “opens as much as a variety of completely different choices in terms of drivetrains”.
A hybrid because the logical alternative, one thing Romano says is excessive on the hit record.
Whether or not it’s an everyday hybrid or an externally rechargeable plug-in hybrid (PHEV) stays to be seen.
Given the exercise and gross sales curiosity with the early breed of PHEV utes – together with the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, and Ford Ranger PHEV – that tech seems a logical alternative, particularly given the benefits such a drivetrain brings with heavy obligation towing and lengthy distance driving.
PHEVs even have ridiculously low claimed common gasoline consumption numbers that may work wonders for getting CO2 emissions down for fleets (the outcomes will typically solely be on paper).
However the drivetrain is simply a part of the puzzle with Hyundai’s ute.
The corporate additionally has to find out precisely what underpins it.
There are two important decisions: the structure of the Kia Tasman (remembering Kia is a part of the Hyundai Group) or leveraging a memorandum of understanding signed with Common Motors in 2024. That MOU might enable Hyundai entry to American utes/pick-ups such because the Chevrolet Colorado and Silverado.
Mr Romano stated the GM choice, whereas tempting, might pose challenges with international alternate and unsure tariffs beneath a Trump presidency.
These international alternate points are one more reason he has rated the Santa Cruz as “zero likelihood” of coming to Australia; that stated, he’s left the door open if the worth of the Australian greenback improves, including that “if foreign exchange adjustments, I might change my thoughts”.
That makes leveraging the Kia Tasman platform “plan one”.
“There may be nothing flawed with the physique on body platform that Kia is at present utilizing for the Tasman,” stated Mr Romano, who added that he would need it to look very completely different to the Tasman.
“I simply need to make it possible for the design is uniquely Hyundai and that the drivetrain … is in step with what we’re going to want from an NVES perspective … and what meets the calls for of shoppers from a towing capability and from a torque and simply drivability.”
Serving to the Hyundai Australia ute trigger is Mr Romano’s working relationship with Jose Munoz, the person who took over the reins at Hyundai globally early this 12 months.
As the previous chief of Hyundai Canada, Mr Romano labored intently with Mr Munoz when he headed Hyundai in North America.
Amongst all this workhorse ute chat Romano additionally stated a full EV ute (BEV) was nonetheless on the playing cards for Hyundai.
The long-mooted T7 and T10 electrical utes are nonetheless very a lot within the body.
With skateboard-like architectures they might be a special proposition, however one he believes will come into vogue.
“There’s a plan to deliver out an electrical pick-up,” added Mr Romano.
“There will probably be a marketplace for it nevertheless it’s not going to go after primary or two.”
