Distributor isn’t saying never about tray deck edition of EVX sports ute, but says the market right now is too tough.

ADDING an electric lifestyle four-door ute as as sister ship to the Torres sports utility from KGM will not be considered until Kiwi interest in battery-fed products revives.

That’s the word from Daile Stephens, head of brand marketing for Inchcape, which holds distribution rights to the South Korean marque, formerly known here as SsangYong.

Drawn from the five-seater Torres EVX SUV that released here in April, the ute has been previewed by the 0100 concept unveiled in April 2023.

It is set to go on sale next year as the Torres EVT, including to right hand drive markets with billing as a medium-sized ute “for urban drivers”.

Provision to the United Kingdom is confirmed and Australia’s interest also appears strong. The latter conceivably makes it an easy sign-up for New Zealand as well. Both countries share the EVX in common specification.

However Stephens says as much as it might be an interesting addition to have, there’s simply no sense in taking it when electric vehicle sales are in a hole - and then some.

To date this year, the EV market is down 80 percent in year-on-year comparison. Though fire sales of heavily discounted stocked has helped clear - or at least reduce - some worryingly large inventories, and accordingly pepped up results including for November, all involvers appear to be suffering.

The Torres EVX electric appears to be feeling that, with just 168 registrations since it released, including 60 in November.

For Inchcape the plan is to stow any ideas about new products until the scene improves, Stephen says.

She knows the market has to turn around at some point - because car makers are committed to electric technology. But when it will happen here is anyone’s guess.

In the meantime, the ute remains a car that is under consideration for evaluation, but will not progress further.

The EVT follows a similar formula to the petrol-powered Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, which both aim purely at North America as lifestyle models but are only made in left-hand drive.

The concept of a vehicle that is okay for light-duty utility work but for a different the buyer set than more hard-core utes with ladder-frame chassis, tougher towing capabilities and, often, off-road capabilities has proven popular Stateside.

The EVT is set to use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack sourced from Chinese electric-car specialist BYD.

Range is not yet clear, but the EVX delivers a 462km claimed driving range under Europe’s WLTP lab test standard.

It is assumed EVT will have the same drivetrain as EVX; so a front-mounted 152kW/339Nm electric motor fed by a 73.4kWh battery.

KGM SsangYong said it intends to add vehicle to load capability to the Torres EVT “to help future owners power their tools on the work site, or their cooler on the beach”.

It is unclear if dual-motor versions of the electric EVT and EVX are planned for all-wheel-drive capability.

Torres SUV released in April as a front wheel drive petrol at $49,990 and all-wheel-drive petrol at $54,990; the first has been on promotion for $34,990. The electric (below) launched at $67,990.