Australia’s first all-wheel-drive electric ute comes from South Korea’s lesser-known car brand, but it’s not a heavy-duty HiLux or Ranger rival.
South Korea’s KGM has beaten Toyota, LDV, BYD and Tesla to the title of Australia’s first electric ute to power all four wheels – the 2026 KGM Musso EV – on sale from next month, priced from $60,000.
The Musso EV is also among the first car-derived ‘lifestyle’ utes to be offered locally since the demise of the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon last decade, based on the KGM Torres mid-size family SUV rather than a heavy-duty ladder-frame chassis.
It is priced from $60,000 drive-away with front-wheel drive and a 420km claimed driving range in WLTP testing, stepping up to $64,000 drive-away with dual-motor all-wheel drive and a 380km range, bookending a mid-grade, front-wheel-drive Black Edge edition priced from $62,000 drive-away.
It undercuts the only other electric ute ever sold new to the public in Australia by a major car maker – not an independent left- to right-hand-drive conversion shop – the LDV eT60, which was listed at $92,990 plus on-road costs with rear-wheel drive and a 330km WLTP range.
An electric version of the new Toyota HiLux is due in showrooms next year with a 240km range and expected circa-$80,000 price, while an electric Isuzu D-Max is also anticipated for Australia, with a 263km range and forecast $100,000 price.
While it shares its name with the diesel-engined, ladder-frame Musso ute, the EV is related to the KGM Torres light-duty family SUV, with similar boxy styling, LED headlights, and KGM debossing on the tailgate.
An electric version of the KGM Torres is due in showrooms in the coming months with similar mechanical specifications to the ute, as the brand’s first two electric cars in Australia.
At 5160mm long, 1920mm wide and 1750mm tall, on a 3150mm wheelbase, the Musso EV is longer between the front and rear wheels than a Toyota HiLux, but is shorter nose to tail due to shorter overhangs, and quotes about 50mm less ground clearance (at 181.4mm).
Powering all Musso EV variants is an 80.6kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack supplied by BYD, which can be fast charged from 10 to 80 per cent in a claimed 36 minutes.
KGM claims "300kW DC fast charging", but overseas specifications point to peak charging power closer to 150kW. On a 100kW charger, 10 to 80 per cent takes a claimed 45 minutes.
AC charging at up to 10.5kW is offered, for a 10-hour 20-minute full charge, while vehicle-to-load technology allows the battery pack to power external electrical devices, while there are three regenerative braking modes available.
Front-wheel-drive versions use a single 152kW/339Nm electric motor, while all-wheel-drive models add a second example of the same motor, for combined outputs of 175kW and 630Nm.
At 1345mm long, 1515mm wide and 510mm deep, the tub is said to share its dimensions with the diesel Musso, featuring eight tie-down hooks, a standard-fit tub liner, lighting, and rear bumper corner steps for easier access. Self-levelling rear suspension is claimed to reduce sagging with a load.
Tow ratings sit at 1800kg braked and 750kg unbraked in both models, with a 180kg maximum towball downweight, while kerb weights range from 2165kg to 2285kg, for a payload of 905kg in the front-wheel drive, and 805kg in the all-wheel drive.
The 2026 KGM Musso EV is due in showrooms next month.
2026 KGM Musso EV price in Australia
Note: All prices above are drive-away.
2026 KGM Musso EV 2WD standard features include:
2026 KGM Musso EV 2WD Black Edge adds (over 2WD):
2026 KGM Musso EV AWD adds (over regular 2WD):
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
