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Is an electric truck from Hyundai on the way? A Rivian R1T was spotted with testing plates near Hyundai’s Namyang research and design (R&D) facility in South Korea.

Hyundai benchmarking Rivian R1T electric truck?

In June, the Hyundai Motor Group released its next-generation EV platform (IMA), designed to host 13 new electric models from the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands.

The IMA platform is a “significant advancement” over the automaker’s current E-GMP platform. The new platform will extend beyond midsize SUVs or crossovers (like the IONIQ 5 and KIA EV6).

Hyundai’s CEO, Jaehoon Chang, confirmed:

It encompasses nearly all vehicle classes, ranging from small and large SUVs to pickup trucks, along with the flagship models of the Genesis brand.

The automaker hasn’t offered any additional details on the potential electric pickup. However, a Rivian R1T was spotted with testing plates by Hyundai’s R&D facility this week by Shortscar (via The Korean Car Blog), raising speculation that the automaker is working on its own electric truck.

Rivian R1T testing near Hyundai R&D facility (Source: Shortscar)

Meanwhile, Kia has already announced plans to introduce two EV pickups to its portfolio. During investor day 2022, the automaker said it was planning to build a complete lineup of 14 EVs by 2027.

The lineup includes two electric trucks, one dedicated EV pickup, and another “strategic model” for emerging markets.

Hyundai-electric-truck
Hyundai Santa Cruz crossover truck concept (Source: Hyundai)

This isn’t the first time Rivian’s electric truck has been spotted in South Korea. In 2021, Electrek covered an R1T model driving on public roads in Suwon, speculating the EV maker would use Samsung rather than LG as a battery supplier.

Electrek’s Take

It is a common practice for automakers to purchase other brands’ vehicles to reverse engineer them to grasp how they work.

Kia has already confirmed it will introduce a dedicated electric truck, while there’s been heavy speculation Hyundai will release one under its own brand.

If Hyundai does decide to release an electric pickup, it will face a growing list of competitors with the Rivian R1T, Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, and the upcoming Scout electric pickup, among others.

Hyundai will have to differentiate itself with a unique electric model, something it has done well with so far in the electric era with models including the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6.

What do you think? Would you buy an electric truck from Hyundai? And if so, what features could be adopted (or added) from the Rivian R1T? Let us know in the comments.

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Quad-motor Rivian debuts, Lucid kills range anxiety, and no, EV sales aren’t down

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Quad-motor Rivian debuts, Lucid kills range anxiety, and no, EV sales aren't down

On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!

Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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EVs are 73% cleaner than gas cars – even with battery production

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EVs are 73% cleaner than gas cars – even with battery production

Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.

Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.

“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.

The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.

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Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.

Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.

Countering EV myths with hard data

There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.

It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.

“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”

ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.

Read more: Volkswagen’s 47% BEV sales jump includes a 24% boost in the US


The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Here’s our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]

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Here's our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]

The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.

Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet

Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.

Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.

Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.

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Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.

Kia-EV2-closest-look
Kia Concept EV2 (Source: Kia)

Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.

The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.

Kia EV2 entry-level EV caught testing in the Alps (Source: CarSpyMedia)

As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.

The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.

Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.

Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”

With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.

The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.

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