South Korean electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Toonberry Motors is set to release the country’s first 2.5-ton electric truck in June. Korea’s medium-duty truck market is gearing up for a green transformation as it moves forward with electrification.
Daegu-based Toonberry Motors will begin mass production of its 2.5-ton electric truck Simba in June, according to industry insiders on Feb. 27. The company recently obtained approval from the government for EV production and is also developing a 3.5-ton electric truck.
Founded in 2018 by former Hyundai Motors and Daewoo Motors engineers, Toonberry Motors built expertise in manufacturing electric vehicles by converting Hyundai’s Porter into an electric model. The company began developing its 2.5-ton electric truck in 2019.
Toonberry is responsible for Simba’s overall design, including the body, powertrain, and electronic control systems. The company sources components for mass production from Chinese and Taiwanese companies. The vehicle’s body and frame are supplied by a company that works with China’s Dongfeng Automobile, and the electric motor is from Taiwan. The final product is assembled in Daegu, South Korea. Simba runs on EV batteries from CATL.
Simba is powered by a 120-kilowatt electric motor and a 98.04-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. It can travel up to 250 kilometers per charge. Given that the average daily mileage of trucks in Korea’s 1 to 3-ton category is 202km, the range is considered sufficient, according to Toonberry.
With an initial production capacity of 1,600 units per year, the company plans to double its output to 3,000 units. Starting in June, Toonberry will prioritize fulfilling pre-orders from logistics companies. The domestic market for medium-duty trucks in the 2.5 to 5-ton range is estimated at 9,000 to 11,000 units per year, and Toonberry aims to secure a 10% share in this segment.
Korea currently does not offer purchase subsidies for medium-duty electric trucks. The Ministry of Environment had proposed a subsidy of 50 million won per unit, but it was removed during the budget deliberations in the National Assembly last year.
“We understand that the budget was removed because there were no medium-duty electric trucks on sale in Korea at the time,” said an industry insider. “Subsidies may be reintroduced once sales of electric trucks like the Simba begin.”
