Geely has just unveiled Radar Auto, which it describes as a new sub-brand for “pure electric outdoors lifestyle vehicles”. The launch also saw the debut of its first model, the RD6 pick-up truck, although the company quickly makes clear that it’s not a pick-up brand – “Starting with trucks, but is much more than just trucks,” the release reads.
Instead, Geely says that Radar Auto was created for a “new generation of global consumers who demand vehicles that are as sustainable as their adventures into nature”, tapping into the outdoors market that have recently seen a meteoric rise in popularity, spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic.
That’s probably why the Radar RD6 looks nothing like those workhorse pick-ups you see frequently traversing construction sites. Instead, it gets a sleek exterior shell, sprinkled with a generous dose of intricate stylistic touches such as the full-width LED lighting fixtures, decorative trims, and unique indented wheel arches.
The RD6 will be built on the company’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform, which it shares with other EVs from the wider Geely family, including the Zeekr 001. More detailed specifications including powertrain information will only be provided at a later date, but we can still suss out several interesting tidbits just by looking at the photos.
Most interesting of all is the charging panel located within the walls of the truck bed, with a variety of charging outlets on offer, which could be useful to power your electrical equipments while camping.
The company only mentioned that the Radar RD6 will be offered in both single- and dual-motor configurations, but local Chinese media reported that it’ll feature outputs of between 200-400 hp, and a driving range of up to 600 km in a single charge.
Radar Auto will be a full-fledged independent brand under the Geely umbrella, and even has its own R&D facility in Hangzhou, and an EV manufacturing plant in Zibo, Shandong. It’s led by Ling Shi Quan, a veteran engineering lead at Geely Auto Group, and will offer a full range of electric lifestyle vehicles including SUVs, and even ATV quad bikes.
As for the RD6, Geely/Radar says production and sales will begin in the fourth quarter of 2022. The company does not mention if the RD6 EV pick-up truck will be exported to markets outside of China, but Ling revealed in an interview with Reuters that the company is currently studying the potential expansion of the Radar brand into Southeast Asian markets.
GALLERY
