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Great Wall Ute 2020 to score electric variant

The next-generation Great Wall Ute features all-new styling and will be offered with an emissions-free powertrain.

Chinese manufacturer Great Wall has confirmed its new-generation pick-up will score an electrified variant when the current Steed's replacement is revealed at the Shanghai motor show.

Although the lifestyle-focused 'Adventure' is its only variant to be revealed so far, Great Wall has promised an electric version with 500km of driving range, while an 'urban-spec' variant will complete the range.

Few other concrete details on the electric ute remain, but there is a possibility it could employ a hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) powertrain instead of a battery-electric set-up, which would likely put it off the table for Australia given the current lack of refuelling infrastructure.

According to reports, Great Wall has recently invested one billion yuan ($A2,095,34,913) into research and development for FCEVs, with the desire to have a fleet ready for the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.

It is expected the platform will spawn a ute-based seven-seat SUV to match other ute/SUV combinations. It is expected the platform will spawn a ute-based seven-seat SUV to match other ute/SUV combinations.

Haval and Great Wall Motors Australia and NZ national marketing manager Bill Soo said it is making strides towards moving away from internal-combustion powertrains.

"Thinking about what's on the horizon over the next five to 10 years, and the company takes the view that existing technologies will change dramatically, and as a company, we have to move into hydrogen EV, which is where the company sees interest," he said.

The next-gen ute will also reportedly share a ladder-frame platform with the Haval H9 large SUV, which is expected to be released globally around 2021.

It is expected the platform will spawn a ute-based seven-seat SUV to match other ute/SUV combinations, such as the Toyota HiLux/Fortuner, Ford Ranger/Everest and Isuzu D-Max/MU-X.

Mr Soo said the platform-sharing means the ute will pick up all the safety and refinement features from the H9.

Aside from the EV, the new pick-up is expected to also score internal-combustion powertrains including 2.0-litre 180kW/350Nm turbo-petrol and 140kW/440Nm turbo-diesel units.

The next-gen Great Wall ute will be revealed in full at the Shanghai motor show on April 16.

Would an all-electric pick-up work in the Australian market? Tell us what you think in the comments below.