Chery’s diesel plug-in hybrid Stockman ute enters local testing

Chery has taken another step towards launching its first ute, appointing Australian engineering company Premcar to validate the plug-in hybrid Stockman ahead of its arrival later this year.

The local testing programme will assess the ute’s ride and handling across Australian roads and off-road conditions, with Premcar conducting extensive in-market validation before the model goes on sale.

The Stockman is expected to become one of the first diesel plug-in hybrid utes offered in Australia and New Zealand.

It combines a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine with a plug-in hybrid system producing a claimed 350kW and 800Nm. Chery also claims combined fuel consumption of 2.0L/100km and an electric-only driving range of up to 100km (NEDC). While battery capacity has yet to be confirmed, the ute is expected to feature a 34kWh battery pack.

For New Zealand buyers, the model appears to be getting closer. While local pricing and a launch date have yet to be announced, the Stockman is now listed on Chery New Zealand’s website as “coming soon”.

Chery Motor Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris says the company is committed to ensuring the Stockman meets the expectations of local ute buyers.

“Australia is one of the world’s most demanding ute markets, and we know our customers expect a vehicle that performs confidently across everything from urban streets to highways, construction sites and remote off-road tracks,” says Harris.

“Premcar has an outstanding reputation for engineering and vehicle validation, making them the ideal partner to help ensure Stockman is thoroughly tested and validated for Australian conditions before it reaches our customers.

“This partnership is another example of Chery investing locally to develop vehicles specifically for Australian drivers.”

Premcar has more than 30 years’ experience engineering and testing vehicles for Australian conditions, having worked with a range of global manufacturers.

Premcar chief executive Bernie Quinn says Chery has placed significant emphasis on ensuring the Stockman delivers the ride and handling characteristics expected by local buyers.

“Chery has gone the extra mile with its first-ever Stockman ute,” says Quinn.

“Chery has created very specific attributes for the Stockman’s ride and handling and we are very pleased to help them test and validate their work in a variety of Australian conditions.”

The Stockman represents a significant expansion of Chery’s product portfolio beyond SUVs and adds to the growing number of electrified utes expected to reach the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Further details of the Stockman are expected closer to its launch.