Geely to Unveil Pickup Truck Brand RADAR
NetEase Auto reported on May 7 that RADAR, a new energy vehicle brand, will be released soon. The brand has adopted the slogan “a new and diversified outdoor lifestyle”. A source within Geely told NetEase Auto that this is a new division for Chinese automaker Geely’s pickup truck business.
According to Qichacha, the RADAR trademark is owned by Geely Group with applications having been filed on April 20, 2022 and December 22, 2021.
In November 2021, Geely was reported to have separated its pickup truck business from the commercial vehicle group and began preparations for a high-end new energy brand. The first model is expected to be launched in 2022. An official tender announcement later confirmed the report of high-end new energy pickup truck program.
At present, Geely has established at least two independent companies related to the pickup truck business, including Geely Pickup Truck Auto Parts (Shandong) Co., Ltd. and Geely Pickup Truck Auto Sales (Shandong) Co., Ltd. The shareholders of both companies are Hangzhou Geely Automobile Research and Development Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
According to the company’s job listings page, recruitment for the pickup truck business is currently underway. According to public information, Shandong Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., the pickup truck project, focuses on the R&D, manufacturing and sales of high-end pure electric passenger pickup trucks. The pickup truck manufacturing base will be located in Zichuan District, Zibo City, Shandong Province, covering an area of 773 mu (127 acres) with a total investment of 2.42 billion yuan.
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In recent years, many Chinese cities no longer ban pickup trucks within the city limits which has prompted many consumers to choose a pickup truck as a useful vehicle for cross-country trips on their own. Geely is targeting this very sector of the market. In its current product lineup, Geely’s long-distance commercial vehicle division has a pickup truck model, the Farizon FX, priced at 119,900-129,900 yuan ($17,853 – 19,342). According to the tender, Geely’s Farizon FX will be handed over to the newly established pickup truck company for operation.
