KGM Musso EV

THE pickup segment may be the area of the market most resistant to electrification. Our friends on the other side of the Atlantic get a lot more choice, but Brits in search of an electric truck are restricted to the underwhelming Maxus T90, or the eye-wateringly expensive Isuzu D-Max EV.

- Richard Ingram

But before the end of the year, KGM (formerly SsangYong) will launch its electric Musso - a new and unrelated sister model to the capable, but slightly agricultural diesel truck of the same name. With an estimated starting price of £38,000 and a WLTP-rated range of 235 miles, it's in with a fighting chance even before it's turned a wheel.

To see what's in store, we had an early taste of the Musso EV on UK roads - and first impressions are very good indeed. It's spacious, drives well and should be capable of 200-plus miles on a charge.

KGM is a bit-part player in the UK new-car market, however, and that's unlikely to change with this pickup - no matter how good it is. As with the Actyon and Torres SUVs, there are no badges on the nose of this truck, and were it not for the 'KGM' lettering on the tailgate, you'd probably assume it was from one of the myriad Chinese makers currently making inroads on the European market.

But it's not a bad-looking vehicle, with chunky styling, plenty of cladding and neat details such as grab handles on the bonnet and steps at the rear. It's a similar story inside, where the Musso EV feels suitably premium for a car of its kind; you'll find scratchy plastics if you go searching, but there's Nappa leather on the electrically operated heated and ventilated seats, and copper-coloured trim beneath the twin-screen infotainment displays.