A Rivian R1T all-electric pickup was noticed with take a look at automobile license plates in Korea, close to Hyundai’s analysis and improvement heart in Namyang, with photographs of the encounter posted on the @shorts_car Instagram account late final week.
As a reminder, Rivian at the moment sells its passenger autos – the R1T pickup and R1S SUV – completely in North America, so seeing one all the way in which on the opposite facet of the planet is sort of fascinating and makes us marvel why would an all-electric American truck roam the streets of South Korea.
The Korean Automobile Weblog alleges that the R1T was shipped to the opposite facet of the world as a result of Hyundai needs to benchmark it towards a few of its upcoming all-electric autos, together with two pickup vehicles, one in every of which ought to make its method to North America.
Final 12 months, Hyundai Motor Firm introduced that it’ll introduce an all-new devoted EV structure in 2025 dubbed Built-in Modular Structure (IMA) which can underpin every little thing from small metropolis automobiles to giant SUVs and pickups.
So the speculation that Hyundai would take a look at the Rivian R1T to see the way it may very well be beat at its personal recreation sounds cheap. One other risk is that someone bought the American electrical pickup after which moved to South Korea and determined to take his automotive with him, but it surely’s near inconceivable to confirm.
9 Images
This wouldn’t be the primary time a Rivian R1T ended up in locations the place it will probably’t be formally purchased, with an Austrian-registered unit carrying producer license plates being noticed in Belgium, Spain, and Germany, beginning rumors a few potential market entry in Europe for the California-based EV startup.
These rumors have been denied by Rivian, although, with the corporate’s solely official presence on the Previous Continent being a fleet of Amazon Electrical Supply Vans (EDVs). Moreover, RJ Scaringe, the agency’s founder and CEO, stated previously that the upcoming, smaller and extra inexpensive R2-based EVs shall be accessible in additional components of the world after happening sale within the US someday in 2026.
As at all times, we’d wish to know what you concentrate on this, so head over to the feedback part beneath to provide us your ideas.