It’s interesting to note that Hyundai’s Chief Creative Officer, Luc Donckerwolke, told Autocar prior to the introduction that the Santa Cruz would use an electric powertrain. He stated that the corporation would need to wait a little while, but the vehicle would undoubtedly be electrified.
The approval of the gas-powered cars and the demand for hybrid vehicles in this class would determine how quickly they would be introduced. We don’t see Hyundai delaying the release of its gas-electric truck for too long because Ford is putting pressure on them with the introduction of the fiercely competitive Maverick hybrid.
We have so far just revealed the (Santa Cruz) ICE version; the rest will be revealed as it happens.
Jose Munoz is the president and CEO of the business’s American and North American subsidiaries as well as the global chief operating officer of the Hyundai (brand).
On September 21, 2021, The Korea Economic Daily stated that Hyundai intended to introduce a hybrid and an electric Santa Cruz. It was stated that Hyundai would introduce the Santa Cruz Electric instead of the E-GMP specific EV architecture, using the same platform as the gasoline truck. Although several months have passed since the news and it is likely that the Hyundai HQ has already marked tentative release dates for future variations, the business has not yet confirmed the release date for the Hyundai Santa Cruz EV, according to its sources.
The Santa Cruz is based on the new Hyundai Tucson, which has a hybrid version available with a 1.6-liter gas turbo engine, a 44.2 kW electric motor, and a 1.49 kWh battery pack. This is carried further by the Hyundai Tucson PHEV, which has a 66.9 kW motor and a 13.8 kWh battery pack. It boasts a 33-mile pure electric range, according to the EPA.
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The electric pickup will probably face competition from vehicles like the Rivian R1T, GM Hummer, and Ford’s F-150 Lightning.
Hyundai Motor Co. intends to enter the fiercely competitive industry by releasing an electric version of the Santa Cruz pickup, the South Korean automaker’s debut vehicle for the American market.
Hyundai Motor is reportedly exploring releasing hybrid and all-electric versions of the little pickup truck.
Instead of employing Hyundai’s specific EV platform, E-GMP, the top Korean manufacturer would use the existing Santa Cruz platform with batteries added to create the pickup’s electric variant, according to the sources.
They stated that no decision had been made about the precise date of the Santa Cruz EV’s launch.
In an effort to appeal to young, female drivers who prefer little trucks to large ones, Hyundai unveiled the Santa Cruz this summer, going head-to-head with the Ford Maverick in the sector.
Front-wheel drive is standard on the Santa Cruz, but all-wheel drive and one of two 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines—one with 180 horsepower and the other with 275 horsepower—are available as options.
The Santa Cruz, which was manufactured in Alabama, reportedly sold the most cars in August, the month it first went on sale, according to US media reports.
As the Biden administration works to have half of new automobiles sold in America be electric by 2030, numerous automakers have announced plans to provide electric pickups in the upcoming years.
In mid-September, US EV startup Rivian, sponsored by Amazon and Ford, outperformed Tesla, General Motors Co., and other automakers to become the first to commercially release an electric truck.
With a starting price of $67,500, Rivian’s R1T electric pickup truck has a claimed range of 314 miles (505 km) and is powered by a battery pack from Samsung SDI Co.
In order to gain access to the Korean market, the US-based EV firm has also registered its trademark with South Korean authorities.
A few other automakers will follow Rivian in producing an electric pickup before the end of the following year.
The GMC Hummer EV pickup from GM is anticipated to come next this fall. Ford and Tesla will follow the following year, while Tesla just delayed the delivery of its Cybertruck from this year to late 2022.
Ford announced last week that it would double the yearly production capacity of the F-150 Lightning to 80,000 vehicles by investing an additional $250 million and adding 450 jobs across three Michigan plants.
The Detroit carmaker has now spent roughly $950 million on the creation of an electric and hybrid F-150.
Bill Ford, chairman of Ford, said, “We knew the F-150 Lightning was exceptional, but the public’s interest has exceeded our best expectations.
Ford will sell approximately 880,000 pickup trucks in the US in 2020, followed by GM and Stellantis.
In May, Hyundai Motor Group said that it would invest $7.4 billion in its US operations by 2025, focusing on emerging mobility markets such as electric vehicles (EVs).
The funding will enable the group’s Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp. to produce electric automobiles in the United States.
Not Just Another Pickup Truck
Pickup trucks, or at least those driven by gasoline, have begun to reach a plateau. New trucks don’t often surprise us, and they all appear to fit the same cliched mold of being obnoxiously big, thirsty for gasoline, and visually unappealing. However, none of these characteristics apply to the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
It is a tiny pickup because it is significantly smaller than the typical truck and because it seems like a futuristic electric vehicle but really runs on gasoline. Before we forget, the interior is just as stunning as the exterior!
The New Hyundai Santa Cruz Has Problems
It’s challenging to deviate from the norm, yet there are already 5 issues with the brand-new Hyundai Santa Cruz. Some should be fixable by Hyundai, while others would demand significant expenditure from the Korean automaker.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz was widely praised when it was unveiled earlier this week by Hyundai. It seems that the tiny pickup truck (or sport utility vehicle) has been in high demand throughout the world, yet few people outside the automobile industry seem to be talking about it.
There are 5 issues with the Santa Cruz that are apparent almost right away. Some (electric version) are simple to repair and some aren’t. All should have an impact on your choice to purchase a 2022 Santa Cruz.
(Though we don’t necessarily detest the Santa Cruz. Additionally, there are five positive aspects of the Santa Cruz to be aware of.
The first is that Hyundai isn’t a pickup truck manufacturer. Yes, underneath the Santa Cruz lies a Hyundai Tucson. The crew at the Hyundai facility in Alabama and the rest of the Santa Cruz are brand-new to Hyundai. The 2022 model will undoubtedly have problems that will be resolved for the 2023 model year. Wait a year and be patient. Allow the kinks to be ironed out.
The second factor is the engine selection. The Hyundai Kona’s 1.6-liter 4-cylinder direct-injected, turbocharged engine might be a better option because of its lower peak torque delivery, which seems more appropriate for a sport activity vehicle that isn’t designed for speed. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission also makes more sense, in my opinion.
The targeted market—citizens—is the third problem. They are a fiction, particularly in light of the epidemic, which caused a mass exodus from urban areas. The 2022 Santa Cruz will be extremely popular among consumers who don’t require marketing. The challenge will begin in 2023 and beyond.
Its four-door status as a sport utility vehicle is the fourth problem. If this had been a two-door car with a small inside cargo section that could squeeze in two kids in a hurry, more space may have been obtained in the bed. It’s an informed assumption, but the Santa Cruz’s target clientele won’t be families; rather, it will be active couples without children. The bed would be more useful if it were a coupe.
The option of powertrains is the sixth problem. Where can I find an electric choice? Hyundai is making a significant push to control the global market for electric vehicles. To introduce the Santa Cruz EV right away would have been a strike. It has the platform technology for electric vehicles. Hyundai wants to sell 1 million electrified cars worldwide by the year 2025. With the announcement of a 10-vehicle EV lineup, it made a significant advancement toward that aim. There ought to have been 11 cars.
How do you feel? Do you have any further difficulties in mind? Are the concerns we brought up incorrect? Comment below.
How powerful is the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s engine?
The 2019 Hyundai Santa Cruz comes with two engine choices. A 2.5L 4-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque is the industry standard. A 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque is an upgradeable option for this. Both engines come standard with a FWD drivetrain, which can be changed to AWD if preferred.
The base engine achieves 21/26 MPG in FWD and 21/27 MPG in AWD, according to the EPA. From 0 to 60 miles per hour, acceleration takes about 8.0 seconds. On the other side, the upgraded turbocharged engine achieves 19/27 MPG on AWD when paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. From 0 to 60 miles per hour, acceleration occurs in around 6.0 seconds.
Hyundai will produce a Santa Cruz in 2023?
- Updates to the Santa Cruz small pickup truck have been announced by Hyundai for 2023.
- Although the base price has increased by $1010, driver assistance features are now standard.
- Starting at $37,105, a new Night variant with black trim has been added to the inventory.
The Santa Cruz, a small pickup vehicle from Hyundai, is entering its second model year with some upgrades and new, more expensive price. The entry-level SE model now costs $26,745 after an increase of $1010 and has access to certain additional standard driver-assistance technologies. Additionally, a new blacked-out trim level called Night is added to the roster with a starting price of $37,105.
Previously only available on the SEL and above, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard equipment on the base SE. The SEL ($29,085) trim of the 2023 Santa Cruz is up just $150, while the SEL Premium ($37,425) and top Limited ($41,615) are up $1220 and $150, respectively.
The Santa Cruz’s new Night trim level, which costs $37,105, is the least expensive model available with the optional 2.5-liter inline-four turbo engine with 281 horsepower. This engine is also available in the SEL Premium and Limited variants, and all turbo models come standard with all-wheel drive. The Night trim also features adjustments like dark grille trim, black 20-inch wheels, black mirror caps and door handles, and side steps, as we’ve come to expect from these kinds of blacked-out look packages.
The Santa Cruz debuted alongside its closest rival, the Ford Maverick, in a new class of compact trucks last year thanks to its unibody chassis, which was also used by the Tucson crossover. With the Maverick moving 38,753 units through the first half of 2022 and the Santa Cruz selling 18,203 units during the same time period, Ford is currently ahead of Hyundai in the sales competition. As both brands enter the 2023 model year, we’ll see how this rivalry develops. For its part, the Maverick added a new trim for the 2019 model year, the off-road-focused Tremor.
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