Chinese automaker Geely — the company that partially owns Proton and Volvo — has debuted an all-electric car marque known as Radar Auto. The marque’s first offering will be RD6, an all-electric pickup truck that will challenge the likes of Toyota Hilux.
RD6 is a midsize pickup truck that sits on Geely’s new Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform, which also underpins crossover EVs such as Zeekr 001 coupe SUV and Smart #1 SUV. Its design is similar to some latest subcompact crossover pickup trucks such as Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz, and Rivian R1T.
What We Know
RD6 will have single and dual electric-motor options. Although the exact performance statistics are still unknown, CarNewsChina claims that the truck will have a range of up to 600 km and power outputs ranging from 200 horsepower (hp) to 400 hp.
The new images reveal some finer design details. The front end looks similar to Proton X70 while the rear looks like Rivian R1T. The side profile is fairly standard looking, much like any other modern truck.
Target Market
The photos also show the bed, which features a variety of electrical outlets that can power up work gadgets or electrical implements for camping or other outdoor recreational activities.
The teaser images also showed the truck carrying bicycles in the back rather than heavy-duty luggage. This implies that RADAR’s target market is people who fancy mild adventure mobiles rather than commercial cargo haulers.
Launch
Production and sales of Radar RD6 will commence in H2, 2022, although the company hasn’t confirmed if it will launch the EV pick-up in markets other than China. However, given Proton’s mission to optimize its presence in the EV market, RD6 will likely make its way to other markets eventually.
