Geely's Riddara RD6 electric ute set for Australia

In a post to its LinkedIn page, Geely confirmed the electric RD6 has a right-hand-drive production schedule locked in, adding that it will be “available in your market soon”.

As our earlier story below notes, Geely’s biggest western brand, Volvo, has been vocal about its interest in establishing the Riddara brand in Australia as its official importer.

“If that’s what they want to do and bring it [the Radar RD6] to Australia then that’s something we could do and help them with back office functions and training,” Volvo Australia boss Stephen Connor told Wheels in late 2022.

Geely cancelled its Radar trademark in Australia in 2022 after resistance from Singaporean tyre company Omni United, which has a brand called Radar Tires. Geely registered a new trademark for Riddara in early 2023.

Mike Stevens

Volvo Australia has emerged as a potential candidate to import the Chinese ute in an arrangement that would double the number of electric dual-cabs available Down Under. Currently the only fully electric ute offered here is the upcomingLDV eT60 which launches locally in the middle of November.

Revealed earlier this year,the Radar RD6 is the first vehicle from Radar Auto which is a new lifestyle-orientated sub-brand from Chinese automotive giant Geely. Volvo is also owned by Geely and it’s that family connection that has caught the eye of Volvo Australia boss Stephen Connor.

“What I’d love to do is talk to our Geely counterparts and say to them ‘we will be the sales company for you for Radar’,” Connor told Wheels. “That could be a possibility. It’s no different to them going to Ateco (the official importer of LDV, Maserati and RAM among others) or something like that.

“If that’s what they want to do and bring it [the Radar RD6] to Australia then that’s something we could do and help them with back office functions and training.”

Radar Auto estimates the dual-cab segment will expand to 3 million annual sales in China by 2030 and has confirmed plans to build SUVs and even ATVs (all terrain vehicles) to be sold alongside its electric ute. The RD6 is Radar’s first model and will be built on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) which also underpins a host of