Hyundai Has Big Plans For Upcoming Santa Cruz

Speaking to Autocar, Hyundai’s recently appointed chief creative officer, Luc Donckerwolke, admitted the Santa Cruz will likely also get an electrified powertrain. “We will have to wait to apply the powertrain but it’s not far off,” he said. “The future will certainly give us the opportunity to electrify it.” Whether this will be an all-electric setup or a hybrid and/or plug-in hybrid remains to be seen.

Electrifying trucks, especially those with serious off-road capabilities, creates all kinds of interesting possibilities. Best example: the new GMC Hummer EV. With a battery-electric setup, EVs have instant torque available, a trait that’ll come in handy for trucks in rugged conditions. Hyundai has long been developing multiple types of powertrains, including pure battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell.