Geely Radar electric ute firms for Australia

There have been murmurs of an Australian release for the Chinese-made Radar RD6 since the all-new electric ute’s world debut in 2022, but fresh details now suggest it’s almost certain to land Down Under – sooner rather than later.

Geely – the same Chinese auto giant that owns brands including Lotus, Polestar, Zeekr, Volvo, Lynk & Co, Radar and more – has confirmed via social media that right-hand drive (RHD) production has commenced for its 200kW, circa-$40,000 rear-wheel drive electric ute.

Furthermore, the quartet of images of the RHD electric ute reveal a brand name change, confirming the dual-cab ute will wear Riddara (not Radar) badges in certain export markets.

This is important because the ‘Radar’ name is unavailable in Australia, where another Asian automotive (tyre) company owns the exclusive rights to sell products bearing the Radar trademark.

Geely is yet to officially announce whether the vehicle has been green-lit for the Australian market, but carsales has contacted the Chinese car-maker for comment.

Radar RD6 Review

However, given that Australia is one of the world’s biggest – and arguably the most profitable – ute markets on the planet, the name change and RHD production suggests the pioneering LDV eT60 electric ute is about to face some very stiff competition Down Under.

Measuring 5260mm long and 1900mm wide, the Riddara RD6 is roughly the same width but about 10cm shorter than Australia’s top-selling dual-cab ute, the Ford Ranger (5370mm long, 1918mm wide).

But because it’s based on monocoque or car-based platform architecture, it’s not designed to rival popular load-lugging light commercial utes like the Ranger or Toyota HiLux.

Instead of weight-bearing leaf springs at the rear, the RD6 gets independent suspension at both ends, resulting in a maximum payload of just 775kg, and the tray is also a bit smaller than Australia’s most popular utes.

Likewise, the RD6’s maximum braked towing capacity is just 2500kg – a tonne less than most diesel-powered dual-cab 4x4 utes – and so the Riddara’s marketing and promotional materials suggest it’ll be targeting a different buyer group in Australia.

The Riddara RD6 should be reasonably capable off-road, however, given its 220mm of ground clearance and a competitive departure angle of 22 degrees, although its long snout means an approach angle of 25 degrees falls short of the Ford Ranger XLT’s 30-degree figure.

Indeed, Geely’s newly launched Riddara.com website spruiks the new RD6 EV as “More Than Just a Pickup Truck” and “An intelligent EV brand focusing on the outdoor ecosystem”.

As far as the bits and bytes go, the official website says the Riddara RD6 is available with either 63kWh or 86kWh lithium-ion battery packs for ‘export markets’, making it good for cruising ranges of 385km and 517km respectively.

Only a single-motor rear wheel-drive powertrain is offered with both battery types, pumping out 200kW/384Nm, which provides a fairly rapid (for a ute) claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time 7.3 seconds – significantly faster than the most popular diesel utes sold in Australia.

However, there is an all-wheel drive dual-motor version of the RD6 available in China, belting out 315kW and offering a greater 3000kg tow capacity, as well as more performance including a sportscar-fast 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds.

Parallels between the Riddara RD6’s interior can be drawn with modern SUVs, thanks to a cabin equipped with dual digital screens, power-operated synthetic leather-clad seats and neatly integrated controls.

Stay tuned for more information and updates as we get them.

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