Chery racing to get ute Down Under ASAP 

Chery is racing to get its first ute into the Australian market as fast as it can as it looks to expand its model line-up and take advantage of swelling demand for eco-friendly workhorses. 

The fledgling brand is in the final throes of development of the hotly anticipated ute codenamed KP11, which is destined to head Down Under as soon as this year to rival the likes of the BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha, as well as the big guns of the ute segment, the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. 

“I need those vehicles as fast as we can,” Chery Australia CEO Lewis Lu said. 

He confirmed the ute would be a “proper pick-up” rather than a softer lifestyle ute that’s more car-like under the skin and focused on on-road driving. 

That means it should be able to haul heavy loads – most utes tow 3.5 tonnes – and carry around one tonne. 

Last year Chery showed journalists the KP11 and confirmed it would be ready for sale by late 2025. 

But it’s increasingly looking like the new pick-up will not be available with the diesel engine so many see as essential to ute duties. 

Insiders suggested the production version of the KP11 could be powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which could be a tough sell against the diesels that still dominate the ute segment. 

However, down the track, Chery’s Super Hybrid System (SHS) is also expected to be utilised in the KP11. 

“We’re trying to always use the latest technology (in our vehicle),” Lu said when asked about the prospect of a plug-in hybrid ute. 

The SHS uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and at least two electric motors to provide EV-only running below 80km/h, but the added thrust of internal combustion beyond that – the easily accessible torque of electric motors is likely to endow it with the pulling power expected of a ute. 

The ICE also extends the driving range to allow the car to be driven on petrol anywhere in the country. 

Chery’s visiting executive director of program management, Peter Matkin, confirmed there would be various versions of the new ute, although he wasn’t giving any details on which would come to Australia. 

“For some it’s a more simple pick-up for a Mexican market,” he said. “Other studies for a more robust pick-up for this market or the US.”

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au