Chery Stockman tuning continues ahead of launch

Chery’s self-imposed February 2027 deadline for the launch of the Stockman ute is looking increasingly tight, with the ute’s chief engineer confirming that key hardware and software components, including the electric power steering and suspension, are not yet finished.

The Stockman’s unusual diesel plug-in hybrid propulsion system also still needs work, with the smoothness of the transition from combustion to electric, and also the brake pedal feel, still coming under the microscope.

Speaking with carsales at Chery HQ in Wuhu, Stockman technical boss Mark Qi confirmed the engineering team was working hard to meet the launch timeline and that the Stockman release date had not been pushed back for Australia.

Australian journalists were barred from driving Stockman prototypes this week because its local suspension was not judged to be refined enough. South African media were permitted to sample unfinished versions of the Chery ute, however.

While the core engineering work for the Chery Stockman was completed at the company’s R&D facilities in China, fine-tuning of the suspension, steering, diesel engine, hybrid system, braking and ADAS technologies has been taking place in Australia since June 2026.

As well as working on the Stockman in Australia, Chery engineers have also been benchmarking rival utes, including the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and GWM Cannon.

In August, Chery announced that Melbourne specialist engineering firm Premcar, responsible for Nissan’s now-cancelled Warrior vehicles, would independently evaluate the Stockman’s ride and handling attributes in Australia in order to give feedback to China.

Qi confirmed that Premcar’s team had requested a number of changes to the suspension and power steering of the Stockman and that Chery had implemented the requests.

Development cycles are now continuing between Australian testers from Premcar and Chery’s Chinese engineers.

Among the unresolved issues is steering effort, with the Stockman chief relating that Australian ute buyers prefer a heavier feel than Chinese drivers, who like a lighter tiller. Qi also said the brake pedal feel was still too light and needed modification.

Chery is also still chasing smoother integration of the 2.5-litre diesel engine with the Stockman’s electric motor, while locally calibrated lane-keeping assistance and other driver assistance software remain under development.

Qi confirmed the next round of Stockman prototypes would principally be used to validate modifications made after the most recent rounds of feedback from Premcar, among others, with remaining work increasingly set to concentrate on software.

The hope is that the hardware, especially the suspension and propulsion system, can be signed off very soon.

Production for Australia will need to happen by December or early January at the very latest to make that deadline, so any outstanding physical changes would need to be signed off imminently.

But in the case the ute is deemed unready for Australian consumption, Chery is more likely than not to defer the launch. It is aware of the need to make a good impression.

“For now, the [Australian launch] target is still February,” Qi said.

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