Following a preview in July this year, the Radar Auto RD6 electric pickup from Geely Group has officially gone on sale in China with a starting price of RMB 178,800, the equivalent of just $24,600.
Chinese customers can now preorder the Radar Auto brand's first model as production of the RD6 pickup has already started at the Zibo Smart Factory in Shandong Province on November 9.
Based on Geely's SEA EV-dedicated platform, the RD6 is similar in size to a US-market midsize pickup—it's 5,260 millimeters (207 inches) long, 1,900 millimeters (74.8 inches) wide and 1,830 millimeters (72 inches) high, with a wheelbase of 3,120 millimeters (122.8 inches).
A lifestyle pickup with four-wheel independent suspension
When it comes to styling, the Radar RD6 resembles the Geely Haoyue SUV (sold as the Okavango in overseas markets) quite a bit, including the exterior (with the obvious exception of the cargo bed) and interior, which appears to be almost identical. This suggests Geely has taken some shortcuts in order to bring the RD6 to market sooner.
Speaking of SUVs, Geely says the Radar RD6 offers similar driving characteristics to passenger cars, thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension.
The cabin features two 12.3-inch screens, a 9-inch full-color head-up display, 72-color ambient lighting, AI-powered voice interaction, a 55-inch panoramic sunroof and more. A total of 12 Level 2+ intelligent driving assistance functions are available.
Gallery: Radar Auto RD6 electric pickup
When it comes to storage, the cargo bed has a capacity of 1,200 liters (42.3 cubic feet), with the RD6 also offering a small frunk of 70 liters (2.5 cubic feet) and a back seat storage pace with 48 liters (1.7 cubic feet).
The electric pickup has a payload of 450 kilograms (992 pounds), but the towing capacity has not been disclosed. However, Geely claims the platform supports models offering a towing capacity of up to 3,000 kilograms (6,613 pounds).
The bed is equipped with a 6kW discharge panel that features several discharge modes including static discharge, mobile power, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) power, 220V/10A, and 220V/16A. A total of six power ports are supplied.
Three battery packs on offer, all with RWD
Power comes from a choice of three battery packs, with the largest one having a capacity of 100 kWh and featuring NMC chemistry. This battery is said to give the RD6 a driving range of 632 kilometers (392 miles) on China's CLTC test cycle. This particular model starts at RMB 268,800, which equates to $37,720.
Customers can also select a smaller NMC battery with a capacity of 86 kWh, which is claimed to offer 550 kilometers (341 miles) of CLTC range. The third and final battery choice is a 60-kWh LFP pack rated at 400 kilometers (248 miles) of range. All batteries support fast charging at a maximum 120 kW.
The biggest drawback of the Radar RD6 for some customers could be the fact that it only comes with a single motor powertrain driving the rear axle, regardless of the battery pack. The motor produces 200 kilowatts (268 horsepower), enabling the electric pickup to sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6 seconds.
While the acceleration is more than adequate, the fact that the Radar RD6 is RWD-only may put off some buyers. However, Geely points out that Radar Auto is a brand that targets young buyers living in big cities who occasionally drive to the beach or the mountains on weekends. It's clearly a lifestyle pickup and not one for hardcore truck users.
