Volvo’s Parent Company Could Export This EV Truck

• Geely delivered the first units of the Radar RD6 to customers in February, launching the first battery-electric lifestyle truck in China.

• The pickup offers a choice of three batteries but is RWD-only for now, aimed at urban buyers with an outdoors lifestyle.

• The automaker has indicated it could begin exporting the truck, even though at the moment demand for non-commercial pickups aimed at lifestyle buyers is fairly limited in Geely's traditional export markets.

Just a couple of weeks ago Volvo parent company Geely delivered its first electric pickup trucks from its latest brand, launched a relatively short time ago. The Radar RD6, first revealed last summer, became the first EV entry in a segment that has seen relatively little interest from car buyers in its home country until very recently.

But Geely saw an opening, just as China's middle class turned to the outdoors, designing a truck for those with an active lifestyle.

The Radar RD6 launched with a choice of three battery packs, offering 63-kWh, 86-kWh, and 100-kWh, with the largest giving it a range of 392 miles. The automaker certainly prioritized range over power and offroad capability, as the rear-wheel-drive pickup produces 268 hp and 283 lb-ft of torque.

Eager to win over urbanites seeking a vehicle for camping, the RD6 offers 220-volt outlets in addition to a 6-kW V2L output, allowing it to recharge other EVs. The interior, meanwhile, is modern but not lavish, featuring a 12.3-inch display as well as a host of modern safety features, including a Level 2 driver-assistance system.

With a starting price of 178,800 yuan, or $25,000, the RD6 will have the entire EV lifestyle truck niche to itself.