The first batch of Radar RD6 all-electric mid-size pickup trucks for the overseas markets rolled off the assembly line in China. According to a little investigation made by CarNewsChina, Thailand will soon have the RD6 on its radar. Let’s get to the details about the mysterious Radar RD6 overseas production launch.
Radar started the production of the RD6 for international markets
On July 25, the first batch of Geely Radar’s RD6 pickup trucks successfully rolled off the production line. The assembly of these vehicles takes place at the Zibo Smart Factory, Shandong, China. Some high-ranking representatives of the city came to the site to take part in this occasion. Speaking about the Zibo factory, it was launched in 2020. Nowadays, it manufactures not only Radar-branded vehicles but also some Farizon cars.
According to Geely, after the market launch, the Radar RD6 has become the most popular electric pickup truck in China, with a market share of 53%. Looks impressive, but you should keep in mind that the sales number of the RD6 in June 2023 reached 1,024 units. So, the demand for this kind of vehicles in China is still relatively low. It isn’t a surprise that Geely decided to launch this brand overseas to enhance sales.
The domestic version of the Radar RD6 rolled off the assembly line here in September last year. So, it took Radar 9 months to prepare for the overseas launch. As we can see in the pictures, the international version of this truck stays in line with the domestic one. Judging by an LED strip that is located between headlights of the RD6, we may assume that the international version is based on its Premium Edition for the Chinese market. It isn’t a top-trim level, but it has an 86-kWh battery for 550 km and a single electric motor on the rear axle for 272 hp. In China, this trim level costs 228,800 yuan (31,970 USD).
Geely Radar RD6 is heading to Thailand
Geely hasn’t disclosed the destination of the first overseas batch of RD6 trucks. But we have made our little investigation. We have discovered that Thailand has all the chances to turn into the first overseas market of the Radar brand. First, in May 2023, Reuters reported that Geely plans to enter the Thai market with two electric cars. The first one is the entry-level electric car (possibly, the Panda Mini EV). As for the second one, it is the Radar RD6. However, at that time, Geely didn’t confirm these rumors.
Secondly, on June 2, Paultan reported that the Geely’s Radar brand will soon debut in the ASEAN market, starting with Thailand. In Thailand, pickup trucks are relatively popular. Moreover, the Thai market has slowly turned into an NEV-friendly (NEV stands for New Energy Vehicle) country. BYD, Neta, Ora and other brands have already launched their products there. So, it seems that the Radar’s first overseas market is Thailand. Of course, we should underline that this information has yet to be confirmed.
All you should know about Radar RD6
The Radar RD6 stands on the SEA architecture that also underpins Smart #1, Polestar 3, Zeekr 001, etc. However, Radar modified this platform and changed its name to M.A.P. The exterior and interior design of the RD6 stays in line with the Geely Okavango (Haoyue) SUV. As for the dimensions of this vehicle, they are 5260/1900/1830 mm and a wheelbase of 3120 mm. For clarity, in term of sizing, it stays close to the Toyota Hilux.
The Radard RD6 is the RWD-only pickup truck with a 272-hp electric motor on the rear axle. It is a drawback of this truck since it isn’t really capable of off-roading. However, it has an impressive zero-to-hundred acceleration time of 6 seconds. Speaking about battery of the RD6, there are three options: 63 kWh for 400 km of range, 86 kWh for 550 km and 100 kWh for 632 km. The price range of the RD6 is 178,800 – 268,800 yuan (25,000 – 37,560 USD).
Source: Zhejiang Geely Weibo, Radar Website, Paultan, Reuters, Sina
The trucks in that “first export batch” ceremony are left hand drive models, which means they are almost certainly not meant to go to Thailand (which is a right hand drive country).