Geely’s local chief remains tight-lipped about the Chinese marque’s medium-term intentions in Australia, offering no hint as to whether the Radar or Riddara RD6 ute will arrive Down Under in the near future.
Speaking to CarExpert at the unveiling of the new Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, Geely Auto Australia CEO Lei Li said “it is not our strategy at this moment.” “We’re aiming to deliver the best value products to market. We know Australians favour utes and large vehicles,” Mr Li said. “[The RD6 is] certainly being examined and debated internally, we just need to work out how to make it a reality.”
The RD6 sits on a car-style monocoque platform with independent suspension on all four corners rather than a ladder-frame and live rear axle found on Australia’s best-selling utes.
Nevertheless, it’s comparable in dimensions to the current Toyota HiLux, measuring 5260mm in length, 1900mm in width and 1865mm in height, riding on a 3120mm wheelbase.
The Radar RD6 — marketed as the Riddara RD6 in overseas markets — debuted in July 2022 as an EV, promoted as the first in a “full portfolio” of “electric lifestyle” models from the Radar Auto marque.
Built on the same Sustainable Experience Architecture that supports the Zeekr 001 and Smart #1, the RD6 EV arrived with single- and dual-motor layouts, offering 63kWh and 86kWh battery options.
All Riddara RD6 trims are stated to tow up to 2500kg and carry a maximum payload of between 755kg and 775kg, depending on the version. The RD6’s tray measures 1525mm long, 1450mm wide and 540mm deep — marginally smaller than the cargo beds of the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
Earlier this year at the 2025 Shanghai motor show, Radar unveiled a plug-in hybrid variant of the RD6 claiming a combined driving range in excess of 1000km, driven by a turbocharged iteration of Geely’s EM-i ‘Super Hybrid’ system that also underpins the new Starray EM-i SUV.
In early 2024, Geely confirmed it would launch its Radar spin-off in Australia and New Zealand.
“Radar Auto will speed up its growth into international markets, progressively entering markets in Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, Thailand, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America,” the firm said in a statement.
Last November, Geely Auto vice-president Michael Song confirmed a dual-cab ute from the manufacturer would be offered in Australia, without naming the RD6 or giving a concrete launch timeframe.
Both Radar and Riddara sit under the vast Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the parent company of Volvo, Polestar, Smart, Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Lotus and Geely Auto.
Light commercial vehicles recorded over 270,000 registrations in Australia last year, representing more than 22 per cent of the total new-vehicle market, the vast majority being utes.
In Thailand, the Riddara RD6 is available as a single-motor rear-wheel-drive electric model with two battery choices, while an all-wheel-drive variant of the Radar RD6, named the Horizon, is sold in China.
The single electric motor in the Riddara RD6 delivers 200kW and 384Nm of torque. It’s powered by either a 63kWh battery pack claiming a CLTC range of 385km, or an 86kWh pack with a CLTC range of 517km.
China’s RD6 Horizon uses dual electric motors producing a combined 315kW and 594Nm, driven by 73kWh or 86kWh battery packs that deliver respective CLTC ranges of 460km and 520km.
Tell us in the comments if you’d like to see the Radar/Riddara RD6 arrive in Australia!
See also: KGM Musso EV Electric Ute Australian Launch Details
Sustainability advocate with a keen eye on policies, trends, and real-world EV impact.
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