Chery's Diesel Plug-In Hybrid Pickup Is Unlike Anything Else On The Road

Chery has unveiled what it calls the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid pickup truck, the Stockman, a mid-size 4x4 engineered specifically for Australian buyers rather than its home market. In Australia, pickups account for roughly one in five new vehicle sales, and the combination of long-distance driving, heavy towing and rising fuel costs has created demand for something that can go the distance without draining the wallet.

The Stockman pairs a 2.5-liter turbo-diesel engine with an electric motor, a 34-kilowatt-hour battery and a traditional four-wheel-drive system featuring a solid rear axle, three locking differentials and a low-range transfer box. Chery quotes a combined 469 horsepower and 800 Newton-meters of torque, with a maximum braked towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms. Electric-only range is listed at 100 kilometers on the NEDC cycle, though the more realistic EPA equivalent falls closer to 73 kilometers, and the headline 2 liters per 100 kilometers fuel figure only applies when the battery is fully charged.

The cabin is well equipped by pickup standards, with heated and ventilated front seats, leather trim, dual-zone climate control, a premium audio system, twin large displays and a color head-up display. Vehicle-to-load functionality adds two household power sockets in the cargo bed, drawing energy directly from the high-voltage pack.

Chery has not explained exactly how the electric motor slots into the drivetrain, though the conventional 4WD layout suggests it sits between the diesel engine and the automatic gearbox — a setup that typically brings relatively high transmission losses. The Stockman will land in Australia soon, where it will face the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton, plus the BYD Shark 6. Ultimately, its success will hinge on pricing and on how well such a complex diesel-electric system holds up over time.