Hyundai IONIQ T7: A Body-on-Frame Electric Pickup Coming in 2028 | Taha Abbasi

Hyundai is coming for the midsize pickup truck market with the IONIQ T7 — and it’s doing it the hard way, with a body-on-frame platform designed to compete directly with the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Taha Abbasi, who has been tracking the electrification of trucks and off-road vehicles closely, sees Hyundai’s deliberate approach as a smart alternative to the rush-to-market mentality that has plagued other EV truck launches.

Details emerged from Hyundai’s Australian operations, where COO Gavin Donaldson confirmed the pickup’s development timeline, construction approach, and competitive positioning. The truck is expected to arrive around 2028 and will be developed in collaboration with Hyundai’s US operations, signaling that the North American market is a primary target.

Body-on-Frame: The Right Call for a Pickup

Hyundai’s decision to use a body-on-frame construction rather than a unibody platform is significant. While unibody construction offers better ride comfort and handling, body-on-frame remains the gold standard for trucks that need to tow heavy loads, traverse rough terrain, and withstand the abuse that working trucks endure daily.

This means the IONIQ T7 won’t simply be a rebadged Kia Tasman — it will be a purpose-built truck designed from the ground up. Hyundai’s Australian CEO explicitly stated they want “the right ute, not just any ute,” which suggests the company is prioritizing capability over speed to market.

For Taha Abbasi, who has extensive experience with both traditional body-on-frame trucks (he’s rebuilding a Toyota Tundra) and the unibody Cybertruck, the construction choice matters enormously for real-world utility. Body-on-frame trucks can be modified, repaired, and adapted more easily. They handle sustained heavy loads better. And they command respect in markets where trucks are working tools, not lifestyle accessories.

The Electric Pickup Landscape in 2026

Hyundai’s IONIQ T7 enters an increasingly crowded electric pickup market, but one where genuine competitors are surprisingly few. The Tesla Cybertruck dominates headlines but serves a different market segment — it’s a full-size luxury truck, not a midsize workhorse. The Rivian R1T is excellent but expensive. The Ford F-150 Lightning addresses the full-size segment. And the Chevrolet Silverado EV remains limited in availability.

In the midsize segment specifically, the competition is thin. There’s no electric equivalent to the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, or Chevrolet Colorado — the trucks that millions of buyers actually want. Hyundai sees this gap and is positioning the IONIQ T7 to fill it. With a target starting price likely below $50,000 (potentially below $45,000 for the base model), the T7 could be the first affordable midsize electric pickup from a major manufacturer.

The timing is also strategic. By launching in 2028, Hyundai avoids the early-adopter tax that has plagued other EV truck launches. Battery costs continue to decline, charging infrastructure continues to grow, and consumer acceptance of electric trucks continues to build. A 2028 launch means Hyundai can leverage improved battery technology and more mature supply chains, reducing both cost and risk.

IONIQ T7 vs IONIQ T10: Hyundai’s Two-Truck Strategy

Hyundai has trademarked both IONIQ T7 and IONIQ T10, suggesting a two-truck strategy: T7 for the midsize segment and T10 for a full-size truck. This mirrors Toyota’s Tacoma/Tundra and Ford’s Ranger/F-150 dual lineup, and it makes strategic sense. Different buyers have different needs, and a single truck can’t serve both the weekend warrior who wants a capable midsize and the contractor who needs a full-size workhorse.

The IONIQ naming convention (3, 5, 6, 7, 9 for cars and SUVs; T7, T10 for trucks) creates a coherent brand architecture that helps consumers understand the lineup. Taha Abbasi appreciates this clarity — too many manufacturers confuse buyers with overlapping model names and unclear positioning. Hyundai’s approach is clean and intuitive.

Powertrain Possibilities

While Hyundai hasn’t confirmed the IONIQ T7’s powertrain details, several possibilities exist. A pure battery electric version is likely given the IONIQ branding, but Hyundai may also offer hybrid or extended-range electric (EREV) variants. The EREV approach — using a small gasoline engine solely as a generator to charge the battery — has gained traction in markets like China, where brands like Li Auto have proven that it addresses range anxiety while delivering electric driving dynamics.

For a midsize pickup targeted at buyers who may use the vehicle for towing, off-road adventures, or rural commuting where charging infrastructure is sparse, an EREV option could be transformative. It would offer electric driving for daily use with gasoline backup for extended range scenarios — the best of both worlds for buyers who aren’t ready for a pure EV commitment.

Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, which underpins the IONIQ 5, 6, and 9, offers 800V architecture with ultra-fast charging capability (10-80% in 18 minutes). If adapted for the T7’s body-on-frame construction, this fast-charging capability would partially offset the range limitations that concern truck buyers.

The Competitive Threat to Tesla and Rivian

While the IONIQ T7 doesn’t compete directly with the Cybertruck (different size, different price, different audience), it does threaten to capture buyers who might have considered an EV truck but found current options too expensive or too large. The midsize segment is where volume lives — Toyota sells over 300,000 Tacomas annually in the US alone.

For Rivian, the threat is more direct. If Rivian eventually launches a smaller, more affordable truck below the R1T, it would compete head-to-head with the IONIQ T7. Hyundai’s manufacturing scale and dealer network give it significant distribution advantages over Rivian’s direct-to-consumer model.

As Taha Abbasi sees it, Hyundai’s entry into the electric pickup market is good news for everyone. More competition drives better products, lower prices, and faster innovation. The fact that Hyundai is taking its time to get the product right — rather than rushing a half-baked truck to market — suggests that when the IONIQ T7 arrives, it’ll be worth the wait.

Source: Electrek

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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com