Hyundai to Launch Body-on-Frame Pickup Against Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, Betting on Hybrid and EREV with Up to 1,000 km Range

South Korean automaker Hyundai has officially confirmed it is developing a mid-size body-on-frame pickup that will hit the market before the end of this decade. Unlike the unibody Santa Cruz, the new model will feature a classic body-on-frame construction for heavy off-roading and towing, with the company betting on hybrids and range-extended electric (EREV) powertrains.

A proper ladder frame instead of a crossover base

The company’s leadership announced plans to enter the utilitarian truck segment during Hyundai CEO Investor Day 2026. By 2030, the brand intends to launch or update more than 100 models worldwide, highlighting body-on-frame platforms as a key growth driver.

The brand’s only existing pickup, the Santa Cruz, shares a car-based platform with the Tucson crossover. The new project is being developed from scratch:

• Segment: mid-size class to compete directly with the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, and Toyota Tacoma;
• Technical basis: the architecture debuted on the Hyundai Boulder concept with a fully enclosed ladder frame;
• Localization: development and production of the North American version will take place directly at facilities in the U.S.

Dropping pure combustion engines in favor of EREV technology

The new model’s main competitive advantage is expected to be its unconventional powertrain lineup. According to Carscoops, Hyundai may completely abandon traditional gasoline and diesel engines without an electric assist.

As Hyundai Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Gavin Donaldson told Carsales, the company was late to the market for conventional diesel trucks, so it will offer buyers alternative technologies — a conventional hybrid or a series EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle).

In an EREV setup, electric drive motors turn the wheels, while a compact gasoline engine acts solely as an onboard generator to recharge the battery. This helps reduce battery weight while maintaining range under load and when towing heavy trailers. The first model to use the technology will be the Santa Fe EREV (debuting in 2027) with a range of over 965 km (600 miles).

An in-house design, not a Kia Tasman clone

Despite the group already having the body-on-frame Kia Tasman pickup (with a payload of up to 1,185 kg and a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tons), Hyundai is designing its own Boulder platform.

In parallel, the Korean brand is working with General Motors: the partners are preparing a separate family of compact and mid-size pickups based on GM’s chassis for Central and South American markets by 2028, but that project is developing independently of the American body-on-frame model.

Expansion strategy through 2030

According to Reuters, Hyundai expects to increase its combined sales to 5.55 million vehicles annually by 2030, with more than 60% of that volume coming from electrified vehicles. The full premiere of the production body-on-frame pickup will take place within the next three years.