Cybertruck being used as a research subject? Modern carmakers are developing a new electric pickup to compete for the US market

Tesla's electric pickup truck Cybertruck is becoming a key research focus for global automakers, just like South Korean automaker Hyundai, which is reportedly conducting a teardown analysis of the Cybertruck. According to local Korean media citing industry sources, Hyundai Motor Group's Namyang Research Center has been conducting a dismantling analysis of Tesla's Cybertruck since the end of last month. Reports indicate that this South Korean automaker plans to make waves in the American electric pickup truck market in the coming years, as pickups are the best-selling vehicle type in the United States. In the North American market, pickup truck sales reached between 2.8 million to 3 million units last year, more than double the sales of sedans. Currently, the top three best-selling pickup truck models in the U.S. are the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Dodge Ram pickups. According to market research firm Marklines, the sales of these three models exceeded 1.7 million units last year, surpassing the total sales of Hyundai and Kia in the U.S., which was 1.65 million units. To achieve this goal, Hyundai and Kia are working on developing a pickup truck tailored for the American market. They are developing a fully electric pickup truck and will sell it under both the Hyundai and Kia brands. It is reported that Hyundai's target for this all-electric pickup truck is a range of over 500 kilometers and a payload of 4,000 kilograms. Hyundai plans to produce over 50,000 units of pure electric pickups annually starting from 2029, while Kia plans to produce over 50,000 units annually starting from 2028. The reasons behind Hyundai's research on the Cybertruck are still to be observed. Some analysis points out that Tesla's Cybertruck is an interesting reference for Hyundai, as the model is quite unique in the niche market due to its 48V architecture and steer-by-wire system. Online reviews of the Cybertruck are polarized, but its sales performance is undeniable. The U.S. automotive research website Kelley Blue Book recently noted that in July 2024, this all-electric pickup truck was the best-selling model in the U.S. market segment priced over $100,000