Is the pickup truck market the next one to go electric? After electric propulsion has already conquered the large pickup segment (Silverado and the like, requiring a C license) and the executive car segment, electricity is arriving in the main pickup market (B license) dominated by the Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max, which was recently joined by the electric Maxus E-Tonne 9.
Telecar has begun selling in Israel the Musso EV from KGM of Korea, which, despite its name, is actually based on the Torres crossover platform. The use of a unibody structure instead of a ladder frame reduces payload capacity, but improves comfort, road behavior, and lowers the price.
Until now, in the absence of smaller pickups, even those who did not require a one-ton payload but needed a commercial vehicle capable of carrying oversized items, accessible equipment, or very dirty loads they preferred not to bring into the cabin, were forced to purchase the Japanese diesel pickups or KGM’s own diesel Musso.
The electric Musso measures 5.16 meters in length, 1.92 meters in width, and 1.75 meters in height. The wheelbase stretches to 3.15 meters. The cargo bed is 1.345 meters long, 1.51 meters wide, and has 51-centimeter side walls. Payload capacity is 500 kilograms. Towing capacity is up to 1.8 tons for a braked trailer and 750 kilograms for an unbraked trailer.
The rear-wheel-drive version has a 207-hp motor with 34.6 kg-m of torque, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 160 km/h. The all-wheel-drive version adds a rear motor, raising output to 414 hp and torque to 69.2 kg-m. Acceleration drops to 8 seconds, and top speed increases to 177 km/h.
The 80.6-kWh battery provides a combined range of 420 km in the rear-wheel-drive version and 380 km in the all-wheel-drive version. Fast charging is possible at up to 300 kW.
Equipment: A 12.3-inch multimedia display with smartphone mirroring and 360-degree cameras, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, electrically adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear seats, dual-zone digital climate control with rear vents, vegan leather upholstery, full LED lighting (headlights, taillights, and interior), ambient lighting, smart key, panoramic sunroof with electric shade, regeneration control paddles, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Safety: The Musso EV has not yet undergone a Western crash test. It features 8 airbags (including a central front airbag between the driver and passenger and a driver knee airbag), autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping and lane-departure prevention, and blind-spot monitoring.
Warranty: 7 years or 150,000 km for the vehicle, 10 years or 1,000,000 km for the battery — the longest in the market.
And the price? From NIS 240,000 for rear-wheel drive and from NIS 260,000 for all-wheel drive. This represents a difference of tens of thousands of shekels compared to other pickups, for a vehicle with lower operating costs. Beyond being a more economical work truck, the Musso also targets buyers who want a pickup as a leisure vehicle, able to carry large amounts of gear for trips, bicycles, or dirt bikes, but who did not want a bulkier diesel pickup.
The arrival of the Musso concludes a successful year for KGM, which for the first time surpassed 2,000 units sold in Israel and launched the hybrid Torres. This did not prevent the Competition Authority from determining that Telecar is “neglecting the brand” and recommending that its franchise extension not be approved. So far, the Transport Ministry has not adopted the Authority’s recommendations.