Hyundai Ute: “Mind-blowing” dual-cab on sale by late 2028, likely as an EV with a range-extender petrol engine

The CEO of Hyundai Motor Firm Australia (HMCA) Don Romano has confirmed the firm is for the time being engaged on growing two completely different-sized utes – an necessary, US-centered pick-up and a mid-sized Ford Ranger/Toyota Hilux rival – nevertheless handiest the “thoughts-blowing” smaller ute will possible be coming to Australia, possible by the kill of 2028.

“I’m now no longer leaving except I even earn a ute – and now no longer finest any ute,” stated Californian-born Romano, who turned HMCA’s CEO earlier this year (after a protracted stint at Hyundai Canada) and ought to silent proceed in that space except mid-2028.

He confirmed that sooner than he finishes his tenure in Australia he’ll be in a local to expose corpulent minute print of this needed, potentially game-altering original ute for HMCA.

“It’s a assured ‘Here’s the date, here’s the vehicle, here’s the differentiating aspects’. And if [Hyundai] produces what we’re talking about at this stage and what we’re engaged on, it’s going to be thoughts-blowing. It’s going to be great. And I in fact mean that,” stated Romano.

The evident different would be to restyle the Kia Tasman and a design a Hyundai model of this diesel dual-cab, even supposing HMCA is for the time being divesting itself of all its diesel powertrains in Australia.

As an different, Chasing Autos expects the forthcoming ute will characteristic Hyundai’s original EREV (Extended Range Electrical Automobile) expertise that became unveiled by firm CEO Jose Munoz at the 2025 CEO Investor Day in September, and which is ready to debut in future products from 2027.

Hyundai’s EREV expertise is supposed basically for increased autos, using a combustion engine as a unfold-extender to recharge the battery, with key minute print in conjunction with a target range of 1000km, an EV-cherish using expertise and reduced battery size in contrast to archaic EVs.

Referring to Hyundai’s forthcoming Ranger/Hilux rival, Mr Romano stated they might perchance presumably impartial’ve with out effort rebadged every other product “[but] that’s finest now no longer acceptable, especially now, with the competition persevering with to develop.”

“We’ve got to distinguish ourselves, and there are technologies that we’re for the time being growing which would be completely different from one thing else we’ve introduced to market,” he stated – alluding to the emblem’s forthcoming world roll-out of EREVs.

“I will’t accumulate into the first points, nevertheless [these technologies] will possible be coming out sooner than I fade, and we can spend it to accumulate definite that our ute and our autos one day are completely different than what China is for the time being producing.”

“I’m sure those brands are furthermore having a plan at completely different technologies as effectively. But we’re going to envision out to be first to market in a huge selection of areas,” he stated.

While the Kia Tasman is for the time being a diesel-handiest product, its all-original platform became future-proofed to be dazzling for electrification one day at some stage in its 10-15-year lifecycle.

Chasing Autos expects HMCA’s forthcoming ute to be a special product sharing its underpinnings and presumably its structural laborious aspects with the Tasman, nevertheless with an fully completely different plan and an EREV powertrain.

As for the proposed tie-up with General Motors in growing an necessary original-expertise ute, Mr Romano stated this vehicle gained’t be coming to Australia and stays unconfirmed as to whether this would be a shared product with GM or a special Hyundai vehicle.

“Final time we talked, we stated we are in a relationship with General Motors, and we’re having a plan to at that relationship, nevertheless it isn’t a done deal yet – we might perchance presumably impartial shuffle on our rep,” stated Romano.

“We did plan at, ‘will we portion a platform?’ And I gained’t rule it out as an option, nevertheless it completely would ought to silent be completely different than what they came to market with, because all as soon as more, it’s getting relief to the differentiation.

“I don’t mediate we’re going to portion a platform – I don’t imagine that’s an option. I even ought to circulate away it on the desk, finest in case one thing goes depraved, nevertheless that couldn’t be our most major goal,” stated Romano.

“Our most major goal is to build our rep Hyundai ute with our original expertise that’s unfamiliar from all the pieces that’s obtainable, nevertheless the size that we’re having a plan at would be within the Ranger/Hilux class [for Australia].

“So it’s now no longer a guarantee [the proposed development tie-up with GM]. We are having a plan at increased utes, nevertheless now no longer for this market,” stated Romano, confirming there are two completely different ute platforms being evaluated appropriate now, nevertheless handiest a vogue of is for Australia.

So arrive mid-to-leisurely 2028, what you would maybe presumably be ready to bigger than possible ask is a Kia Tasman-sized, Hyundai-designed dual-cab ute with a petroleum range-extender bolstering battery imprint, achieving “equal EV efficiency with now no longer as much as half the battery means, using a Hyundai-designed excessive-efficiency battery.”