Chery has stamped its name on almost every corner of the car market, yet the brand has long been a no-show in one of the most fiercely contested classes of all: the pickup. That changes with the Chery Stockman — a mid-size, dual-cab ute that arrives as the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid pickup and Australia’s first electrified diesel ute. Here’s everything we know so far about Chery’s most ambitious launch yet.
Chery’s Long Road to a Pickup
Chery has tried to crack the ute segment before, with limited success:
- 2008 — The ladder-frame Chery Higgo 2 was announced but never reached production.
- 2024 — The KP11 prototype appeared and later became the production Chery Himla, though that truck is a rebadged ZX Weishi rather than an in-house design.
- February 2026 — Chery revealed the KP31 prototype with a genuinely original body. That concept has now evolved into the production Chery Stockman.
After more than 15 years of false starts, the Stockman is the first pickup Chery has engineered from the ground up — and it’s leading with a powertrain no rival can match.
A Name Chosen by Australians
In Australian slang, a “stockman” is a skilled cattle hand — a perfect fit for a no-nonsense workhorse. Chery landed on the badge through a public naming competition that drew more than 20,000 entries. The winning submission came from Steve Kodikara of Victoria, who will take delivery of the very first Stockman sold in Australia.
The shortlist was packed with equally Aussie alternatives, including Outrider, Orca, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra and Mate. Chery even filed trademarks for many of them to keep the result under wraps.
There’s history here, too. Australia has seen the Stockman name before — on the Suzuki Stockman (a Sierra/Jimny-based 4×4) and the Mahindra Stockman (built on a licensed Willys). Because neither badge was protected, Chery was free to claim it. Suzuki took the revival in good humour, with the brand joking that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Chery has also lodged a cheeky trademark for “Megalodon” — a not-so-subtle dig at the BYD Shark 6 it’s gunning for.
Bold, Boxy Design With Bronco Vibes
The Stockman drops straight into the ultra-competitive segment ruled by the Ford Ranger — but its face actually nods to a different Ford, the Bronco, thanks to a full-width grille, round headlights and an upright, blocky glasshouse.
Design highlights include:
- Deliberately angular, off-road styling across the dual cab and tub
- Unpainted protective cladding and front and rear bash plates
- A snorkel and chunky six-stud wheels
- Integrated rear steps for easy tray access
At 5,450 mm long, the Stockman is around 80 mm longer than a Ford Ranger, making it half a size bigger than the typical one-tonne ute.
Inside: Rugged Looks, Premium Tech
The five-seat cabin carries the same brawny, squared-off theme but pairs it with a surprisingly modern tech suite:
- A two-spoke steering wheel ahead of an instrument display integrated into the dash
- A head-up display projected onto the windscreen
- A large central tablet-style infotainment screen
- Physical climate-control buttons mounted below the screen (a welcome touch)
- A prominent transmission selector on the centre console, flanked by physical switches
Chery is also targeting a more premium feel than the work-focused exterior suggests, with planned features reported to include heated and ventilated front seats, ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof. Exactly which items are standard or optional hasn’t been confirmed.
A World-First Diesel Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain
This is the Stockman’s headline act. Instead of building its plug-in hybrid system around a petrol engine like most rivals, Chery uses a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel paired with electric drive — making it the first diesel PHEV pickup ever offered, and the only one announced for Australia.
What Chery has confirmed:
- A 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine with a claimed 47% thermal efficiency
- Roughly a 10% cut in fuel use versus the average diesel ute
- A ladder-frame chassis with double-wishbone front suspension and a leaf-sprung live rear axle
- A four-wheel-drive system with locking front, centre and rear differentials
A few key numbers are still under wraps. Chery has yet to confirm total system power, torque, battery capacity or electric-only range — figures the earlier version of this story listed as 476 hp, 800 Nm and up to 100 km of EV range, but which the company has not officially validated. For reference, some reports peg the diesel engine alone at around 282 hp (210 kW) and 650 Nm before the electric motor’s contribution. Treat the combined figures as expectations until Chery releases the official specs closer to launch.
Chery Stockman Key Specifications at a Glance
- Body style: Mid-size dual-cab ute
- Length: 5,450 mm
- Width: 2,010 mm
- Height: 1,890 mm
- Wheelbase: 3,250 mm
- Ground clearance: 247 mm
- Payload: up to 1,000 kg
- Braked towing: up to 3,500 kg
- Powertrain: 2.5-litre turbo-diesel plug-in hybrid (4×4)
- Differentials: lockable front, centre and rear
How the Stockman Stacks Up Against Rivals
The Stockman enters one of Australia’s most cut-throat segments, where electrified utes are no longer a novelty. Its most direct competition includes:
- Ford Ranger — the segment’s perennial best-seller
- Toyota HiLux — including an incoming electrified version
- BYD Shark 6 — the petrol PHEV that proved demand for electrified utes
- Ford Ranger PHEV and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV — fellow plug-in challengers
By launching with diesel-hybrid power, Chery is betting on long-distance touring buyers and tradies who want EV efficiency without giving up diesel’s torque and range.
Release Date and Global Plans
The Stockman’s diesel PHEV is scheduled to reach Australian showrooms in the final quarter of 2026, making Australia the model’s debut market worldwide. Pricing and full specifications will be confirmed closer to launch.
Looking further ahead:
- A petrol plug-in hybrid (a 2.0-litre turbo unit) is set to follow in 2027 to take the BYD Shark 6 head-on.
- A more premium Jaecoo-badged version is also expected.
- Beyond Australia, Chery plans to roll the Stockman out across Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Chery Stockman really the first diesel plug-in hybrid ute?
Yes. Chery claims the Stockman is the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid pickup, and it will be the first diesel PHEV ute sold in Australia.
When does the Chery Stockman go on sale?
The diesel PHEV is due in Australian showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2026, with Australia as the launch market.
How much can the Stockman tow and carry?
Chery quotes a 1,000 kg payload and a 3,500 kg braked towing capacity.
Will there be a petrol version?
Yes. A 2.0-litre petrol plug-in hybrid is planned for 2027, and non-PHEV diesel and petrol options are reportedly under consideration.
What does “Stockman” mean?
A stockman is an Australian term for a skilled cattle or livestock handler — a fitting name for a rugged, work-ready ute, and one chosen by public vote.
Specifications and details are based on pre-launch information and may change before the Chery Stockman’s official release. Final figures will be confirmed by Chery closer to launch.
Photo: Alexey Byrkov
This is a translation. You can read the original article here: Пикап Chery Stockman: подзаряжаемый дизельный гибрид для Австралии
Published June 19, 2026 • 7m to read
