Australia’s first diesel plug-in hybrid ute is generating strong early interest from private and fleet customers, with Chery targeting traditional diesel ute buyers rather than just BYD Shark 6 owners.
The Chinese company says the upcoming Chery Stockman has attracted over 5000 expressions of interest and more than 1000 deposits ahead of its Australian showroom arrival later this year.
Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris revealed the figures to CarExpert, and said interest in the brand’s first local ute is being driven by two key factors.
The first is the Stockman’s combination of a diesel engine and plug-in hybrid technology, which will give it a unique position in the Australian ute market.
Mr Harris said prospective customers are responding to the diesel PHEV drivetrain, as well as the Stockman’s promised towing and off-road capabilities. Chery has also received significant interest from fleet operators.
The Stockman will be the first diesel PHEV ute offered in Australia. It will initially be powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain producing a combined 350kW and 800Nm, with drive sent to all four wheels.
The diesel PHEV will also offer up to 100km of electric driving range, although that figure is measured using the more lenient NEDC testing standard rather than WLTP.
Chery has confirmed a braked towing capacity of 3500kg and an unbraked capacity of 750kg. It previously indicated some variants will have a payload rating of up to 1000kg.
The diesel PHEV will use leaf-spring rear suspension, rather than the coil-spring arrangement planned for the petrol PHEV version due in 2027. Leaf springs are typically favoured for their payload and towing capabilities.
Off-road hardware will include more than 247mm of ground clearance, standard all-terrain tyres and individually selectable front, centre and rear differential locks. Pre-production vehicles have also been shown with front and rear bash plates, recovery points and a snorkel.
Mr Harris said the Stockman has undergone extensive Australian development and tuning, reflecting the importance of this market to the project.
CarExpert previously reported the Stockman’s platform was developed with Australia as a primary market alongside China, allowing Chery’s local operation to provide input into its design and capability targets.
Chery’s Australian representatives also consulted local off-road tyre specialists regarding the Stockman’s tyres, wheel dimensions, offset and six-stud wheel pattern before passing their recommendations to the company’s engineers in China.
Despite the Stockman and BYD Shark 6 both being plug-in hybrid dual-cab utes from Chinese manufacturers, Mr Harris said Chery doesn’t regard the Shark 6 as its main competitor.
Instead, Chery is targeting customers who have historically purchased established diesel-powered utes, including the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.
The Shark 6 uses a petrol engine as part of its plug-in hybrid system, while the Stockman’s diesel PHEV has been developed to appeal to buyers who still value the low-end performance, towing ability and long-distance suitability traditionally associated with turbo-diesel utes.
The second major factor driving interest is the Stockman’s design, according to Mr Harris, who said prospective buyers simply like the way the new ute looks.
That response aligns with the Stockman winning the inaugural Best Design category in the 2026 CarExpert Choice Awards.
The Chery Stockman is due to arrive in Australian showrooms during the fourth quarter of 2026. Pricing and complete specifications will be announced closer to launch, while a petrol PHEV version is scheduled to join the range during 2027