Kia Telluride EREV Could Upend the Entire EV Market
Kia’s next-generation Telluride might skip the charging station queue entirely. With a range-extending powertrain in the works, it could rewrite the EV playbook for three-row SUVs.
Why does this car matter right now?
Because most electric SUVs still can’t take your family across a state without inducing charging anxiety. Kia might be the first brand bold enough to admit it, and smart enough to fix it. According to a recent report out of South Korea, the next-generation Kia Telluride could debut with an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) powertrain. That means electric drive, no plug-in panic, and a total range that could top 600 miles. In a three-row SUV. With zero need to find a fast-charger between Boise and Bakersfield.
While most automakers continue to play chicken with range, Kia’s quietly preparing to deliver the best of both worlds. If it happens, and all signs say it will, this would be the first mainstream SUV to blend genuine EV range with a petrol-powered generator that keeps the battery topped up on the fly. No tailpipe guilt, no extension cords, and no whingeing kids at a Walmart charger halfway to grandma’s.
How does it compare to rivals?
There isn’t much competition, yet. The only remotely similar vehicle is the Ram 1500 Ramcharger, which also uses a gas engine to extend battery range and targets 690 miles. But that’s a full-size pickup. The Telluride is aimed at families, not framers.
Kia’s current electric flagship, the EV9, tops out at 304 miles on a full charge, decent on paper but still short for long hauls. The Telluride EREV could double that, thanks to its proposed 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine working exclusively as a generator. Unlike plug-in hybrids, the wheels are powered solely by electric motors. The gas engine never touches the drivetrain, only the battery. It’s a clean, elegant solution that doesn’t rely on mythical charging infrastructure.
Compare that to a Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid or a Honda Pilot Trailsport, both competent three-row SUVs with decent towing capacity and family-hauler charm, but neither offers the all-electric drive experience or the engineering audacity of an EREV. And while full BEVs like the Rivian R1S have off-road swagger, their fast-charging limitations and sticker shock make them niche players.
Who is this for, and who should skip it?
This is the family SUV for people who don’t want to sacrifice EV performance just to feel like good environmental citizens. The Telluride EREV is shaping up to be the ultimate solution for folks who want to drive electric, but still live in the real world. You know, the one where road trips still exist, and not every rural motel has a Level 2 charger.
It’s also a strong choice for tech-forward buyers who’ve grown weary of plug-in hybrid compromises and the anxiety of fully electric luxury crossovers that lose 30% of their range when loaded with dogs, strollers, and Costco loot. With the EREV setup, towing capacity doesn’t have to come at the cost of miles. And it’s far more practical than a 900-horsepower electric SUV that costs more than your mortgage.
However, if you’re expecting an EV9 with massage seats and flashy interior tech, you might be left wanting. The Telluride has always played the rugged, upscale-but-not-flashy card. That probably won’t change, even if the drivetrain does.
What’s the long-term significance?
If Kia pulls this off, it might shame the rest of the industry into rethinking their EV strategies. Let’s face it: the average American household isn’t ready to go fully electric, but they’re being nudged into it by incentives, PR campaigns, and government mandates. The Telluride EREV offers a dignified off-ramp, a way to join the electric future without needing to redesign your entire life around chargers.
And Kia isn’t exactly flying blind here. At the 2025 Kia CEO Investor Day, the company laid out plans for a lineup of electrified vehicles with increasing emphasis on range extenders and modular powertrain options. The Telluride may simply be the first to break cover.
If this powertrain rolls out as predicted, alongside a traditional plug-in hybrid and gas version, the next Telluride will offer more drivetrain diversity than any other SUV in its class. Kia could win not just the EV race, but the everything race.
Of course, all eyes now turn to Hyundai. The Telluride’s sibling, the Palisade, just debuted its second generation with a 329-horsepower hybrid, which could give us a glimpse of what to expect from the Kia. But if the EREV becomes a reality, the Telluride will leapfrog the Palisade, and nearly everything else in its segment.
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Kia Telluride EREV could redefine the three-row SUV game. With 600+ miles of EV-style range and no need to charge, it’s the future of family driving.
