Geely details its 2025 BYD Shark 6-rivalling plug-in hybrid Radar RD6 ahead of its overseas launch, but will this hybrid ute land in Australia?

Geely’s Radar sub-brand has revealed further details on its plug-in hybrid ute, ahead of its launch in China.

The Radar Horizon EM-P was first shown at the Shanghai Motor Show as a hybrid version of the electric Radar RD6 ute which has been on the Chinese and Thai markets for some time.

The PHEV pairs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine to dual electric motors on each axle, producing a combined output of 260kW/914Nm. A new three-speed hybrid transaxle system combines power from the combustion engine and electric motor for the front, while the rear is purely electrically driven.

The Horizon EM-P is equipped with a 19.09kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery which grants it 100km of purely electric driving range (on the more lenient CLTC measuring standard), with a combined driving range of 1068km. 

The combined fuel consumption for the Chinese market is 1.5L/100km, while the brand says even with the battery completely drained, the Horizon EM-P will consume just 6.4L/100km of fuel.

In addition, it will be offered in standard length, or with an extra-long tray and the Horizon EM-P is equipped with a household power socket, or a 21kW vehicle-to-load system. The car can be optionally fitted with DC charging capability of 32kW allowing a charge time of 28 minutes, as well as an additional 6kW outlet socket in the tray.

The tray is rated to a carrying capacity of 500kg with up to 1200L capacity in its largest form. The Horizon EM-P can also be fitted with a towbar, but towing capacity hasn’t been revealed.

At 5260mm long, 1900mm wide, and 1830mm tall with a wheelbase of 3120mm, the Horizon EM-P is smaller than the BYD Shark 6 in all dimensions, so it's closer to the size of most dual-cab utes rather than larger models like the GWM Cannon Alpha and Kia Tasman.

Inside it is also more passenger-car-like than most utes, featuring leather interior trim as standard, a 14.6-inch central multimedia touchscreen and 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, with an abundance of touch-based controls via Geely’s ‘Galaxy OS’ software.

Now that Geely is established in Australia with its EX5 electric mid-size SUV, will the brand enter the rapidly growing hybrid ute segment with its Radar?

Speaking to CarsGuide at the Shanghai Motor Show where the Horizon EM-P was revealed, a representative said the company was “definitely” interested in the Australian market for its Radar ute, but as he understood it, the brand was “still in the planning phase".

However, the representative also said a rapid arrival - even by the end of 2025 - was possible if the model is approved for Australia by Geely HQ given it is already manufactured in right-hand drive and sold in Thailand.

Currently Thailand only takes the fully electric RD6 equipped with an 86kWh battery pack in all-wheel drive. It has maximum outputs of 315kW/595Nm and can travel up to 455km according to the NEDC standard. Curiously, the EV version has a load capacity of 1030kg and can tow up to 3000kg for the Thai market.

It remains unclear whether Geely will choose to brand the ute under its own marque, or if it will launch it as a sub-brand should it get the green light for Australia.