Chery Stockman’s chief engineer explains why it’s a diesel plug-in

Chery Stockman chief engineer Mark Qi walked us around the diesel plug-in hybrid ute at the Chery Group User Summit in Wuhu, China, explaining the thinking behind everything from its boxy shape to why the diesel, not an electric motor, drives the rear wheels.

The full 26-minute walkaround is on the NZ Autocar YouTube channel, with Qi presenting and subtitles throughout.

Qi worked on GWM’s Cannon programme before joining Chery, and says the Stockman was never meant to be another workhorse in the Hilux mould.

“In the beginning, we didn’t want to develop just another ute like the Hilux or the D-Max. They look more commercial, very normal. We want the Stockman to be strong, and a lifestyle vehicle for every customer,” he says.

Built to be modified

Chery studied how owners in Australia, South Africa and China modify their utes and designed around it, Qi says. The centre section of the front bumper unbolts so an aftermarket bull bar can go on without damaging the body, and there are fixing points at the windscreen base, A-pillar tops and roof rails for light bars and limb risers. Chery has also been working with Ironman 4×4 on accessories.

The tub sides are SMC composite rather than steel, which Qi says fixes a long-running complaint about ute trays.

“Even on the Ranger and the Hilux, the tub is steel welded together, so one problem is sealing. Water and dust get in if you drive for a long time. It’s not the design, it’s the structure. Steel against steel, even with a very good design, still has small gaps,” he says.

Some of the details are cultural. The headlamp graphic draws on traditional Chinese timber joinery, and the big mirrors, which Qi says give a better view than the Ranger’s and Hilux’s, carry a meaning at home too. “In China we have a traditional saying: if your ears are bigger, you are lucky. So we wish all our customers good luck in business.”

Buttons stay

Inside, the Stockman keeps physical switches, including a bank of five auxiliary switches, and a Bluetooth speaker that pops out of the dash for use at the campsite.

“Now, with new intelligent vehicles, especially in China, you can’t find any switches. I don’t think this is a good choice. For some countries and some people, especially with a ute, buttons are necessary,” Qi says.

The driver assistance systems have been retuned for Australian conditions. “Australian roads are so different from China, especially the highways. So I told our engineers: don’t use your Chinese habits. Use Australian people’s habits and think about Australian roads.”

Why diesel

Qi says diesel accounts for more than 90 per cent of ute sales in China, South Africa and Brazil, and Chery didn’t want a petrol plug-in to replace it.

“We know diesel has advantages and disadvantages. At low speed the torque is very good, but the engine speed is limited. So how about diesel and electric together? On the highway at 90 or 100km/h, the diesel can drive the vehicle directly, because in that situation diesel fuel economy is better than petrol,” he says.

The diesel stays mechanically connected to the rear wheels, with electric motors at the P1 and P3 positions and a four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission. Qi drew the comparison with BYD’s Shark 6 himself.

“When you climb a very big hill, the weight is on the rear wheels. If your engine power can only drive the front wheels, in that situation it’s useless. It’s not like the Shark, where the petrol engine only drives the front wheels and the rear wheels only use the electric motor. Electric is the helper, not the main thing. Maybe for the Stockman, electric is 30 or 40 per cent,” he says.

No DPF headaches

Qi also took on the diesel particulate filter question, a fair one for a plug-in diesel that may run its engine less often. The P1 motor spins the engine up quickly into its efficient, hot-running range, and the battery can drive the vehicle when it’s cold.

“If the customer just uses the Stockman as a normal car, you won’t even feel the DPF needs to regenerate,” he says. Electric assist at highway speeds also cuts AdBlue use.

When it gets here

The Stockman pairs a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel making 140kW and 450Nm with a 34kWh battery for 350kW and 800Nm combined, with 96km of claimed electric range on the WLTC cycle and 3495kg braked towing. The full Australian specification is what we expect to see here.

Chery has told us the Stockman will arrive in New Zealand in the first quarter of 2027, after Australian deliveries start in February. Pricing is still to come, and from what we heard in Wuhu, the steering and suspension tune for Australia and New Zealand is still being finished, with Premcar involved in local testing.

Our earlier walkaround from Everything Electric Sydney covers the cabin and tray in more detail.