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Kia wants to become a leader in electric commercial vehicles and is teasing a slew of “purpose built” vans that will start arriving in 2025 when a new factory gets up and running.The first electric van, code-named SW, is described as mid-size, and it will be followed by smaller and larger vans, with the teasers showing distinctive lighting elements and clean surfacing. Kia launched the Niro Plus, a purpose-built taxi and ride-hailing vehicle, last month for the Korean market.Last month, Kia showed off the Niro Plus, a taller, stretched version of the first-generation Niro that will serve as a purpose-built taxi and ride-hailing commercial vehicle in Kia’s home market of South Korea. The Niro Plus is part of Kia’s push to become a global pioneer in electric purpose-built vehicles by 2030, and now Kia has revealed plans and teasers for a series of electric vans that it hopes will end up dominating this space.

Kia

Kia will begin building a new factory exclusively for purpose-built vehicles at its Hwaseong manufacturing site in Korea next year, and aims to start production in the second half of 2025. While the Niro Plus is adapted from an existing car, this new factory will assemble dedicated purpose-built vehicles, the first of which will be “mid-size” and is presumably the van with the L-shaped lights pictured above. The teaser shows a clean, angular look with geometric wheel designs. Kia says the model, code-named SW, will ride on Kia’s new scalable eS electric skateboard platform.

After the SW, Kia plans to introduce unmanned “micro size” vehicles, as well as larger shuttles and vehicles that can be turned into mobile offices or shops. The teaser images also show a puny, boxlike vehicle and a larger van with C-shaped lights. Kia says that plant will at first be capable of producing 100,00 of the vehicles a year, with the ability to scale up to 150,000 units. It’s not yet clear which, if any, of these vehicles will make it to the United States, but we’re looking forward to seeing Kia’s foray into vehicles designed around specific markets.
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The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X has been transformed into a custom-built overland truck.The overland version of the AT4X features 33-inch tires, a flatbed with a canopy, and rear-mounted air springs.The stock AT4X starts at $77,395 and has electronic locking front and rear diffs as well as Multimatic spool-valve dampers.The overlanding scene has become wildly popular—some might even say oversaturated—but sometimes there are builds that catch our eye and are based on an interesting new model. Enter this 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X that’s been transformed into an awesome overland truck. It was assembled with an assortment of aftermarket parts and debuted today at the Overland Expo west in Flagstaff, Arizona.

At the core of the build, which was completed by Mule Expedition Outfitters, is the Sierra AT4X. GMC touts the newly introduced model as the pinnacle of the half-ton truck’s off-road capabilities. Essentially an enhanced version of the regular AT4, the X-rated version has exclusive equipment such as electronic locking front and rear differentials, extra underbody protection, longer suspension travel, and trick Multimatic spool-valve dampers. We recently drove the AT4X around the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California and saw what it can do first-hand.
While the truck’s leather-lined and tech-laden interior is basically stock, as is its 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8 and 10-speed automatic transmission, its back half has been retrofitted with features that make the AT4X almost unrecognizable. The transformation starts with the 6.4-foot flatbed that replaces the truck’s standard 5.8-foot cargo bed. Behind the cab is a 3-foot canopy (a.k.a. a dog box) that contains a camp kitchen and a shower with a heater. There’s also a fridge inside and solar panels mounted on top.

GMC

GMC

There are over 20 aftermarket parts and accessories that adorn the Sierra AT4X. Some of the other standout add-ons include five amber LED lights on the roof, a retractable awning, a two-person ground tent, and an onboard air compressor. The latter comes in handy after airing down the truck’s gnarly tires, which replace the stock set with larger 33-inch Firestone Destination M/T2 rubber mounted on unique 17-inch rims (18s are stock). The other notable upgrade on this overland AT4X is the air springs on the rear axle that help manage the weight of all the extra equipment on the back.Before any modifications, the ’22 Sierra 1500 AT4X has a lofty starting price of $77,395. While Overland Expo didn’t disclose the cost of the parts or the installation, we wouldn’t be surprised if this custom-built overland version approached or exceeded six figures.
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The Toyota Sienna celebrates a quarter of a century since its 1998-model-year debut with the 2023 Sienna 25th Anniversary Edition.Based on the XSE, the special edition adds unique badges and floor mats and is offered in Celestial Silver or Wind Chill Pearl.The anniversary model also gets fancy cabin features from the Limited, and Toyota will only build 2525 units for the United States.The Toyota Sienna first hit the market for the 1998 model year and has since sold over 2.2 million units, so Toyota is celebrating with the 2023 Toyota Sienna 25th Anniversary Edition. The special-edition minivan, based on the Sienna XSE, gains unique trim inside and out and also cribs luxury interior features from the more expensive Limited model.
The 25th Anniversary Edition is offered in two colors: the Celestial Silver seen here or Wind Chill Pearl. The exterior badges, mirror caps, and shark-fin antenna are finished in black. The special edition also borrows mirrors with memory, auto-dimming, puddle lights, and power-fold and reverse-tilt-down functionality from the Limited trim. Inside you can find “25 Years”–branded floor mats and more Limited trim goodies like heated and ventilated memory front seats, memory steering column, and illuminated doorsills. The seats are wrapped in black leather with silver stitching, and there’s also a special “25th Anniversary” key-fob cover.

The 25th Anniversary Edition comes in front- or all-wheel-drive versions and features the sporty design elements found on the XSE, such as gray 20-inch wheels and a more assertive mesh lower grille. On top of this, the celebratory model is fitted with the XSE Plus package, adding roof rails, a JBL speaker system, wireless charging, and a 1500-watt converter. Toyota says it will build just 2525 units of the 25th Anniversary Edition for the United States, and there’s no word yet on price, although it will probably fall somewhere in the high-$40,000 range.
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