Has Kia just revealed its hybrid ute hero? Hardcore Tasman WKNDR could score thumping turbo-petrol hybrid engine to rattle the Ford Ranger Raptor

Has Kia just revealed the hybrid hero that will take on the Ford Ranger Raptor? The brand revealed the thumping WKNDR concept at the Seoul Mobility Show, which would also happen to be the perfect vehicle to house the heavily rumoured 2.5-litre turbo-hybrid powertrain expected to make its debut in the Tasman.

Mere rumours for now, but the WKNDR must have a future somewhere if it is to to be more than just a concept vehicle, and with details of the group's hybrid powertrain now clear, it could be a perfect match.

The Hyundai group has now confirmed outputs for the 2.5-litre turbo-hybrid which will begin life in the Palisade large SUV, but is also expected to find its way into the Tasman as NVES requirements continue to tighten.

The new powertrain - which Hyundai calls its 'next-generation hybrid powertrain system' - pairs a turbo-petrol engine with a P1 and P2 electric motor, the first responsible for "starting, battery energy generation and energy deployment to assist propulsion" while the second covers "propulsion and regenerative braking".

The result is more power with better efficiency, and in the Palisade it will produce 265kW and 460Nm. It is also thought a petrol-hybrid system would preserve the Tasman's workhorse requirements, like payload and towing.

Way back in November last year, we asked if the 2.5-litre hybrid was the favourite to power the electrified Tasman, with Kia Australia’s chief of product planning Roland Rivero saying “that would make sense”.

“It's a modular platform, and can cater to multiple powertrains. And over the course of the lifecycle we will look at other options to ensure that it remains desirable and competitive in the marketplace,” he said.

"We've never had a product this complex. Let's just put that into perspective. We've always had a very simple product range — simple for our dealers, simple for our customers — and now we're going to throw into the mix of commercial vehicles that's very complex. We've got to get the fundamentals right first.

“(The hybrid) is not from the get-go, and it's not lined up at this very point in time. But again, we've got a 10-year life cycle and we can continue to evolve the Tasman.”

It's possible we've just seen one of the evolutions, with the WKNDR Concept revealed at the Seoul Mobility Show in South Korea last month. The beefed-up Tasman scored body-coloured wheel arches, new body panelling, custom front and rear bumper, a suspension lift, chunkier off-road tyres and new wheels.

It also scored a host of off-road accessories, including a winch mounted to the front bumper, roof-mounted LED lights, an extra cargo area between the tub and bed, ‘WKNDR’ badging and unique sports bars.

Kia in Australia says the WKNDR is just a concept. But with a hybrid hero seemingly approaching, we have our fingers crossed that at least some of that concept will become a reality.