As new Chinese brand, GAC, expands its Australian presence, a ute will join the range but won’t match the market leaders when it comes to powertrain.
The latest automotive brand from China to launch in Australia, GAC, already has its eye on the dual-cab ute segment.
GAC is set to make its official debut in Australia with a small SUV, electric medium SUV, and PHEV people mover, but already the brand has plans to add a dual-cab ute.
Cheney Liang, GAC’s Deputy General Manager in Australia, confirmed that a ute is part of the brand’s Australian rollout.
“Yes, it's, it's in our plan.’ Liang said, when asked if GAC intended to join Australia’s largest market segment.
“It's still in the process yet. We have our product,
But, we haven't decided when will it come to Australia.”
GAC’s current global product line-up doesn't include a ute, however the brand has previously produced light-van-based utes, and a body-on-frame dual-cab ute under its now defunct Gonow brand.
Full details of how the Pickup 01 concept would relate to a production model have so far been kept under wraps.
When asked if GAC’s ute would join the majority of utes in Australia with a diesel engine, or if an electric or range-extender powertrain Liang stated, “We have different engine[s], but definitely not diesel.”
Liang explained, “Because we don't have diesel in our powertrain [catalogue].” Referring to GAC’s current engine line-up, which, as is the case with several Chinese brands, comprises petrol, hybrid, PHEV and electric options, but skips diesel entirely.
At present, the 4x4 ute segment is dominated by the diesel-powered Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, although Ford does offer a plug-in hybrid petrol version of its Ranger ute.
Australia’s top-selling PHEV ute, the BYD Shark 6, commands around an 8.7 per cent market share of the 4x4 ute segment, while the EV ute market, which has so far comprised the LDV eT60 4x2 as the only VFACTS-reported model, has failed to crack 100 sales per year since it went on sale.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
