The Chery double cab ute is debuting in Australia with a segment-first diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain (PHEV), which the company’s technology chief says is better suited for off-road use than the petrol plug-in powertrains offered by competitors.
The Ford Ranger PHEV, GWM Cannon Alpha and BYD Shark 6 all offer PHEV powertrains that use a gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE) in combination with one or more electric motors and a battery; The upcoming JAC Hunter will also follow the same formula.
Chery will buck the trend by combining a diesel combustion engine with electric motors and a battery for its off-road model, internally codenamed “KP31” and due to be available in Australia later this year.
A petrol-powered PHEV powertrain will follow in 2027, but the diesel version – which will be the brand’s first ute to launch in the Australian market – is aimed at buyers looking for something more capable for hauling loads and tackling rough terrain.
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The petrol PHEV features a more conventional car-like coil spring rear suspension, while the diesel PHEV features a leaf spring rear suspension, typically chosen for better payload and towing capability.
To this end, Chery has confirmed that the diesel PHEV will offer a payload of 1,000kg and a braked towing capacity of 3,500kg.
Full details on both powertrains, such as capacity or power and torque, have not yet been revealed, but the diesel PHEV’s advantage for off-road use is already apparent, according to Chery Australia.
Chery said the reason other manufacturers have not gone down the diesel route is because of tightening emissions laws – such as those that led to the Ford Ranger Bi-Turbo 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine being banned from UK showrooms in 2025, before being discontinued in Australia.
“A lot of people haven’t really focused on diesel for the future because the emissions requirements are getting much more difficult,” said Chery tech boss Peter Matkin Daily Sparkz.
“They (emissions) are more difficult on a diesel engine than on a gasoline engine, so you have to use a lot more aftertreatment (SCR).”
Selective catalytic reduction uses additives sold as “AdBlue,” for example, which requires owners to refill regularly in addition to purchasing fuel to keep the vehicle compliant with emissions regulations.
“Then it’s more of a cost issue – you have to try to keep costs at the right level – but if you didn’t have those constraints you would definitely go for a diesel because it offers all the low torque performance capability,” Mr Matkin continued.
“This gives you much better towing capabilities and fuel efficiency advantages, so you would choose this one if you could.
“The team here has been presented with various options – a list of different powertrain configurations has been presented and I think – particularly for the diesel derivative – the more off-road capable derivative – they are looking for something with a lot of low-end torque.”
The diesel PHEV also benefits from the longevity of diesel engines, said Chery’s tech boss.
“I mean, you know diesel is extremely robust for 300+ kilometers (300,000 mile mileage) anyway, so it might last 10, 15 years – but if it doesn’t run that much (if the PHEV goes electric), I don’t see why there should be any durability issues at all,” he said.
“The difficult part for us – the engineers – is now integrating the diesel, meeting all emissions requirements and keeping costs down.
“It’s also a little more difficult to integrate into the hybrid system, so it’s more difficult from an engineering perspective, but I think if you tried to choose which one you want, you would definitely go with this diesel hybrid.”
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