Recently, Geely Automobile announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that it plans to spend approximately RMB 218 million ($32.06 million) in cash to acquire all equity interests in Radar Auto (Shandong) Co., Ltd., Radar Auto Sales Co., Ltd. and Radar Thailand. Following completion of the transaction, Radar Auto will officially become a wholly owned subsidiary of Geely Automobile. The move also means that the new energy pickup brand, originally incubated and operated under Geely Holding Group, will now be formally integrated into the listed company structure. Radar Auto was established in 2021 and was among the earliest Chinese brands to focus specifically on the new energy pickup truck segment. Unlike traditional utility-oriented pickup trucks, Radar positioned itself from the beginning around electrification and passenger-oriented use cases. It targets not only engineering and logistics industries, but also camping, outdoor lifestyles and light commercial applications. Over the past several years, competition in China’s new energy SUV and sedan markets has intensified rapidly, while the pickup segment has remained relatively unique. Radar RD6 Horizon Traditional internal combustion pickup trucks have long been dominated by brands such as Great Wall Motor, JMC and Ford. Meanwhile, the development pace of electric pickups has remained relatively slow due to more complex usage scenarios and higher range requirements. Data suggests the market still remains relatively small. According to CPCA figures, China’s new energy pickup sales totaled approximately 7,000 units in April 2026, down 11% year-on-year. Cumulative sales during the first four months reached 26,000 units, down 2% from the same period last year. However, Radar has maintained relatively stable performance within the segment. In April this year, Radar electric pickup sales reached 1,787 units, while cumulative January-April sales totaled 6,193 units, up 34.8% year-on-year. Sales ranking of China’s pickup manufactures from Jan to Apr 2026 According to the announcement, the Radar brand will later be integrated into Geely’s “China Star” pickup business division, with unified planning for products, sales channels and overseas market expansion. Compared with building an entirely new brand from scratch, Radar already possesses existing products, manufacturing facilities and an initial overseas foundation. In particular, electric pickups may still hold market opportunities in regions with strong pickup demand such as Southeast Asia, Australia and South America. Notably, several Chinese automakers have recently begun refocusing on the pickup segment. BYD’s Shark pickup has already entered markets including Australia and Mexico, and is also expected to launch in China later this year.
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