China's Geely to expand EV pickup strategy with Radar Auto acquisition

Geely Auto has announced plans to acquire the remaining equity of Radar Auto’s core operating entities for approximately 218 million yuan (around 32 million USD), according to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, News.Az reports, citing CarNewsChina.com.

The transaction includes Radar Auto (Shandong) Co., Radar Auto Sales Co., and Radar Thailand, effectively making the electric pickup brand a wholly owned subsidiary of Geely Auto.

Radar Auto was founded in 2021 as Geely Holding Group’s dedicated new energy pickup brand. In overseas markets, the brand operates under the name Riddara. It focuses on passenger-oriented electric pickups designed for outdoor travel, camping, utility use, and commercial applications.

Following the acquisition, Radar Auto will be integrated into Geely’s broader pickup business under the China Star product planning framework, according to the filing. The move consolidates Geely’s electric pickup assets as Chinese automakers continue expanding in the new energy pickup segment.

Radar Auto’s operations include production at Geely’s Zibo intelligent manufacturing plant in Shandong province. The company has also been expanding its overseas distribution network across Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

Geely has been increasingly prioritizing plug-in hybrid pickups in its international strategy. Earlier this year, the company launched new Riddara plug-in hybrid pickup models designed for mountainous and cold-climate regions, with a claimed combined range of 1,068 km under CLTC conditions. Another RD6 EM-P variant has also been introduced for overseas markets using Geely’s Thor plug-in hybrid system.

Radar’s current product lineup includes the RD6 electric pickup and the newer Radar King Kong EV series. According to China EV DataTracker, the King Kong EV delivers up to 280 kW of power and 485 Nm of torque, featuring an 86 kWh ternary NMC battery pack and a maximum range of up to 520 km under CLTC conditions. Prices range from 119,800 yuan to 159,800 yuan (approximately 17,610 USD to 23,485 USD).

Globally, the pickup truck market continues to shift toward electrified and larger vehicle formats in 2025 and 2026. In the United States, light trucks—including pickups, SUVs, and crossovers—accounted for 83.1% of total light vehicle sales in 2025, while total U.S. light vehicle sales reached 16.2 million units, up 2.4% year-on-year. Meanwhile, Chinese automakers have been rapidly expanding in the new-energy truck segment and in overseas export markets.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev