Diesel remains king in the pickup truck scene, with staples like the Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max leading the way. But electrified alternatives are beginning to carve out their own space. Hybrids such as the BYD Shark 6 DM-O and Radar RD6 have already made their mark—and now Chery is looking to join the game.
At a recent brand event, Chery unveiled the KP31, a yet-to-be-named pickup concept aimed squarely at the hybrid segment. Positioned closer to the BYD Shark 6 DM-O than the Radar RD6 EMP, the KP31 blends traditional diesel power with hybrid efficiency.
The KP31 has been confirmed to have a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and a 1000 kg payload. The powertrain has also been confirmed to be a 2.5-liter turbo-diesel plug-in hybrid, which could fill the gap left by brands like Ford in the diesel-hybrid market, while being 10% more efficient than the typical diesel, coupled with other features like locking differentials, such as front, center, and rear locking differentials, a low range gearbox, and even speculation about a feature similar to Ford’s Trail Assist being in the works.
Built with versatility in mind, the KP31 is set for both private and fleet buyers alike built on a ladder-frame chassis unlike others like the unibody Radar RD6, with Chery Australia COO Lucas Harris also says that this truck is aimed to take on the other mainstays in the market, saying, “We certainly wouldn’t bring the ute to the market if our intention wasn’t to compete with the top players,” followed by “I think the reality is we’re not bringing out the ute to have fun. Obviously, we want to make a serious dent in the market.”
Other potential prospects also come in the form of SUV versions of the pickup, which could possibly target mainstays like the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest. Aside from the KP31, Chery is also considering a unibody truck codenamed the T1TP.
It’s still too early to see whether or not this model will come to the Philippines, as the KP31 is still in its concept stages, with the production model supposedly slated to launch within the third quarter of this year, where the official specifications and official name will be revealed.
