The latest ute from China will combine diesel power with plug-in hybrid tech in an alternative to a Shark 6 or Cannon Alpha PHEV.
Chery has confirmed plans to launch Australia's first diesel plug-in hybrid ute when it launches its maiden dual-cab – codenamed KP31 – in local showrooms by the end of this year.
A concept revealed in Sydney this month – with boxy styling and bold Chery branding – is said to be "quite close" to the final HiLux and Ranger rival, due on sale in the fourth quarter of 2026 (October to December).
First to launch is what's claimed to be the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid in a ute – based around a new 2.5-litre turbo engine – ahead of a petrol plug-in hybrid due in 2027.
Chery will pitch the diesel PHEV with the same workhorse capabilities as a non-hybrid ute, including targets of a 1000kg payload, 3500kg braked tow rating, differential locks, and what's expected to be a live rear axle.
In contrast, the petrol plug-in hybrid is expected to be pitched as a "highway-focused" vehicle, with reduced off-road and towing capabilities – possibly via independent rear suspension – in line with the popular 1.5-litre BYD Shark 6.
Details of power outputs, battery capacity, and driving range are yet to revealed, along with prices, and the ute's final name.
"We certainly wouldn't bring a ute to the market if our intention wasn't to compete with the top players in the market," Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris told local media.
"That's our goal, and certainly when we're looking at capability and sending our list of demands back to R&D about what it must be able to deliver, I think you can see with payload and towing and diesel as a priority.
"... We're quite serious about having a very capable ute."
Senior Chery engineers visited Australia mid-last year to visit the off-road environments where customers take their utes, testing a Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, and other rivals in the process.
The 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine planned for the launch version of the Chery ute is claimed to deliver "class-leading" thermal efficiency of 47 per cent.
It is promised to deliver 30 per cent less vibration, and be 10 per cent more fuel-efficient than "average diesel powertrain".
For context, the Toyota HiLux SR5 and bi-turbo Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4x4 dual-cab automatics quote 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres, the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain 3.0-litre 4x4 lists 7.8L/100km, and the Mitsubishi Triton GSR 4x4 claims 7.7L/100km.
It is expected the fuel economy claim does not include improvements in consumption returned by the ute's Super Hybrid plug-in system and high-voltage battery pack.
Chery is yet to publish details of electric driving range, energy consumption, battery capacity, and electric motor power outputs for its dual-cab.
Executives were also coy on whether the KP31 will feature a low-range transfer case, though the presence of mechanical front and rear locking differentials suggests a traditional four-wheel-drive system will be retained.
It points to a configuration similar to the GWM Cannon Alpha and Ford Ranger PHEVs, where the electric motor is placed between the engine and transmission.
The 1000kg payload and 3500kg braked towing capacity rival top-selling diesel utes, and nudge the Chery ahead of the Ford Ranger PHEV as the leader in the plug-in hybrid market.
The Ranger PHEV quotes a 973kg payload and 3500kg tow rating in XLT guise, the 1.5-litre Shark 6 lists 790kg and 2500kg, and the 2.0-litre Cannon Alpha PHEV claims 685kg and 3500kg.
Unlike the Shark 6 pick-up, the tub is said to be easily removable, though Chery said it is unlikely to offer a cab-chassis option from the factory.
Due in 2027 is a petrol plug-in hybrid option, though even fewer details are known about its engine and driveline.
It is expected that, where the diesel PHEV is likely to use a live rear axle, the petrol PHEV would adopt a more comfort-oriented independent rear suspension design akin to the Shark 6.
"If you were going to have a vehicle that was really squarely focused on off-road capability, a solid rear axle is generally accepted as a class leader for performance, right?" Harris told Drive.
"If you're going to have a highway-focused vehicle, and comfort and compliance is the name of the game, well then, perhaps [an] independent rear.
"And if hypothetically you're going to have two different powertrains, one suited for off-road and one suited for highway, maybe you would attach the suspension options to those powertrains."
Harris said Chery Australia has "asked for leaf springs on the diesel".
The concept – displayed in China last year with 'Rely' badging – measures 5610mm long, 1920mm wide and 1925mm tall, thanks to accessories such as off-road bumpers, 285/70 R17 all-terrain tyres, a snorkel, and a tub rack.
The showroom version will be slightly shorter, at 5450mm – as large as a Shark 6, and longer nose to tail than a Ranger or HiLux.
Chery said the wheel offset, diameter, and six-stud pattern were chosen in Australia in consultation with dealers, which it has pointed to as an example of the Australian influence in the new ute.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
