Shock tactics: KGM’s Musso EV ute powers ahead
Korean car maker KGM vaults ahead of dual cab ute rivals with its keenly priced and generously equipped fully electric Musso.
KGM Australia has stolen a march on its local rivals by announcing the launch of the Musso EV, a fully electric dual-cab ute that will be available in 4x2 and 4x4 guises and with pricing starting from just $60,000 driveaway.
From SsangYong to KGM: A new era
Formerly known as SsangYong, KGM is a Korean car maker that sells the Musso dual-cab ute, Rexton seven-seat SUV, Korando mid-size SUV, and the Torres medium SUV.
The current-generation Musso ute has been on sale here since late 2018 powered exclusively by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine and has established itself as a durable workhorse offering strong value for money.
The biggest change yet
Despite several upgrades since, this is the biggest change to the Musso since it helped relaunch the SsangYong brand in Australia seven years ago.
It comes on the back of SsangYong rebranding as KGM in 2023 following its acquisition the previous year by Korean conglomerate KG Group in 2022.
Locally, the official rebrand from ‘KGM SsangYong’ to ‘KGM’ was only completed in June this year, but the new entity has wasted no time in pursuing its new strategy focusing on modern mobility and electrification.
Sales snapshot and market position
The Musso has long been a quiet achiever in the local market, with its annual sales as of October of 1,773 units ranking it ahead of a small handful of other brands, and well behind most rivals including category heavyweights like the Ford Ranger (43,924) and Toyota HiLux (38,168).
But the move to electrification has vaulted the Musso ahead of most rivals in the highly competitive ute segment – technologically at least – with Chinese car maker LDV currently the only other brand to offer an electric ute with its eT60.
The strong-selling BYD Shark 6 is a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), not a full battery electric.
Powertrain and performance
Available in both 4x2 and 4x4 variants, the Musso EV is powered by an 80.6 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) blade battery, with the 2WD model featuring a 152kW/339Nm front motor and the AWD variant adding a 152kW/339Nm rear motor, for combined system outputs of 266kW/630Nm.
Driving range for the 4x2 variant is an impressive 420km per charge, with the AWD variant offering a slightly lower 380km, although it’s not clear if this is a WLTP figure or the more lenient NEDC figure.
If the former, then in both cases this is more than the 330km (WLTP) of the LDV eT60.
Three levels of regenerative braking are available via steering wheel-mounted paddles, with the battery able to charge from 20-80% in about 31 minutes on a 300kW DC fast charger.
The Musso also features built-in Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality enabling external power supply for camping gear, tools, or outdoor appliances.
Interior comfort and practicality
The interior features a panoramic dashboard with integrated 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 12.3-inch centre touchscreen.
The front seats are powered, heated, and cooled, while the rear seats are claimed to offer more legroom, cabin width, and headroom than typical mid-size SUVs.
The rear seats also feature an adjustable squab and backrest, a 60/40 spilt-fold arrangement and heating for the outer positions.
The tub is the same size and dimensions as the ICE-powered Musso and features a moulded tub liner, eight tie-down hooks and lighting for loading or unloading after dark.
An unusual feature is self-levelling rear suspension which automatically maintains the ideal ride height, even when laden, with a competitive payload of 905kg for the 4x2 and 805kg for the 4x4, but only a modest 1800kg braked tow rating.
Pricing, variants and safety
The model lineup at launch will include the Musso EV 2WD, Musso EV 4WD, and the highly specified Musso EV 2WD Black Edge, with driveaway pricing pegged at $60,000, $62,000, and $64,000, respectively.
This is competitive even by the standards of diesel-powered dual-cab utes and dramatically undercuts the $92,990 (MRLP) price of the single variant LDV eT60.
It’s not like KGM is skimping on kit, either, with the Musso EV 2WD featuring adaptive cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, taillights and DRLs, dual-zone climate control, 360° camera, leather-like eight-way powered front seats with powered driver seat lumbar, heated front and rear outer seats, ventilated front seats, ambient interior lighting, leather heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger and more.
The Musso EV AWD matches the 2WD spec but gains an extra motor for more power and performance, plus all-wheel drive traction.
Finally, there’s the top-spec Musso EV 2WD Black Edge which adds leather and suede seats, suede headrests, and door trim sections, black 17-inch alloy wheels, black exterior highlights, and dark wood grain dash trim.
Standard safety kit includes eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, front vehicle start alert, high beam assist, safety distance alert, electronic stability control, anti-lock braking system, brake assist system, emergency stop signal, multi-collision braking, trailer stability assist, and front and rear parking sensors.
The Musso EV range is covered by a seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the high-voltage battery backed by a 10-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
KGM says the new electrified Musso will be available at selected KGM dealerships in November for start of sales on 1 December.
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