Geely Launches Radar Brand in China With RD6 EV Pickup Truck

Rivian was the first to do it, Ford was the most successful, and now China is up next. Radar Auto is an entirely new brand that will be used by Geely Auto when it makes its debut in the emerging market for electric pickup trucks. In addition to electric pickup trucks, Radar is working on developing electric SUVs and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd., also known as Geely, operates its automotive division under the name Geely Auto. The group is one of the top 10 most prominent automobile manufacturers in China, and it is the parent company of a number of electric vehicle companies that we cover frequently, including as JIDU, Lotus, Volvo Cars, and ZEEKR. The group also ranks among the top 10 largest automotive manufacturers in the world.

Along with Volvo, Geely is also a co-owner of the sports car brand Polestar. And, of course, we mustn’t forget about Maple and Farizon Auto; the list goes on. We reported on the news coming out of China in November 2021 that Geely Auto has launched an independent pickup truck nameplate as a part of the Geely Commercial Vehicle Group.

Geely sources at the time indicated that the business was trying to benchmark Rivian as the new pickup standard and provide an all-electric truck of its own. At the time, the new brand remained unidentified, but Geely insiders shared this information.

After the release of this first electric truck, other electric vehicle offers would follow, all of which would be geared at the luxury market in China.

According to Geely, Radar Auto is an independent branch of Geely Holding Group, just like Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus are. Dr. Ling Shi Quan serves as its CEO and is in charge of guiding the company in the right direction.

It has its own research and development facilities in Hangzhou, China, as well as a completely outfitted electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Zibo, Shandong, China, which is where that pickup will begin to be made beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The front end of the Radar Auto RD6 appears to take design influences from both the Lotus and the Volvo, making it look like a strange hybrid of the existing Honda Ridgeline and those two other vehicles. Actually, it is built on the same chassis as the Lotus Elite and the Polestar 4, which is known as the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA). Because of this, not only will manufacturing of the RD6 begin later on in this year, but it will also be available in either a single or dual motor vehicle configuration.

Peter Horbury, a vehicle designer who previously worked for Ford and later for Volvo before Geely purchased the latter company, was the brains behind the creation of the RD6.

His U.K.-based design company has been enlisted for the most part to work on Lotus automobiles; but, for Radar Auto, Horbury has intimated that the RD6 and future Radar automobiles would not just be Lotus automobiles with lift kits.

“Horbury, who was quoted in a statement released by Geely, stated that the Radar product range is centered on electric pick-up trucks and SUVs. “This path pushes us to balance utility and usage with attractive form,” the statement said. “Our objective is to provide users of Radar with the opportunity to broaden their views and investigate the natural world in an environmentally responsible manner.”

The RD6 may have the appearance of a lightweight pickup designed for use in the city, but it really comes equipped with a number of practical amenities, like a frunk and multiple power outlets in the bed.

We were only given a little amount of information on the RD6, but we have been able to piece together some clues regarding its future and the future of the Radar Auto brand. Geely cites the sub-brand Radar Weekends, which is centered on active lives and “will combine with many partners to build a joyful, diversified outdoors ecosystem.”

NatureHike, a company that specializes in camping equipment and tents, is one example of a relationship that is already in the works and will result in the creation of camping and outdoor-related accessories that are compatible with Radar Auto cars.

In addition to this, Radar will also place a strong emphasis on sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Geely has stated that Radar is “beginning with trucks but is much more than simply trucks.”

Although Geely only plans to sell the Radar RD6 within China when it goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2022, the company has worldwide aspirations for the brand. Just before that, we ought to learn more about Radar Auto and the RD6, and we can only hope that they will disclose more information.