Unlikely new ute contender edges closer to Australia

Our neighbours across the ditch will soon have an electric ute in showrooms, with Geely’s Riddara RD6 Pro set to be rolled out in the coming weeks.

Priced from NZ$69,990 before on-road costs, its price is equivalent to A$63,330, however a spokesperson for Geely said the ute is not yet locked into local plans.

“Geely is committed to offering a diverse range of vehicles that meet the needs of local markets. We continuously review opportunities based on market trends and consumer preferences to ensure our product portfolio is aligned with customer demand.

“With regard to the Radar/Riddara RD6 electric pickup truck, no decisions have been made at this stage. Any plans for its introduction to Australia will be based on thorough market research and consumer insights, and will be announced in due course.”

Based on Geely’s SEA platform – derivatives of which are shared with Volvo’s EX30, Smart’s #1 and #3, plus the Polestar 4 – the Ridarra RD6 is a monocoque vehicle, rather than the body-on-frame utes which dominate the Australian market.

That includes the upcoming LDV eTerron 9, which will be the brand’s second electric ute, and technically only the second in Australia, as long as you don’t count the pseudo ute/SUV Deepal E07.

However, Australia and New Zealand have started to experience an increase in plug-in hybrid utes, starting with the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and soon the Ford Ranger PHEV.

Despite only going on sale late last year, the BYD Shark 6 is one of the best-selling utes in Australia year-to-date, offering a more day-to-day usage focus than the majority of its trade-oriented rivals.

In New Zealand, the BYD Shark 6 is priced identically to the Riddara RD6, starting from NZ$69,990 (A$63,330). Australian Shark 6s are priced from $57,900 plus on-road costs, suggesting the Geely ute could undercut it here.

If it did come to Australia, the Riddara RD6 would be at a comparative advantage, given a majority of EVs are eligible for a fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption, unlike PHEVs.

New Zealand examples of the Riddara RD6 boast a 3000kg braked towing capacity (500kg more than the Shark 6), and a payload capacity of 1030kg.

Dual electric motors produce combined outputs of 315kW and 543Nm, while the NZ-spec RD6 is only available with a 73kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, leading to a driving range claim of 360km.

That would be quite a bit less than the 430km claim for the LDV eTerron 9, featuring a larger 102kWh LFP battery, and up to 325kW with a 3500kg braked towing capacity.

A plug-in hybrid version of the RD6 has also recently launched in China, though this too is yet to be confirmed for Australia.