Chery Australia has revealed that its upcoming diesel plug-in hybrid ute will be called the Chery Stockman, following a nationwide naming competition that attracted more than 20,000 submissions from Australians.
The announcement concludes a months-long campaign that invited motorists, tradies, families and ute enthusiasts to help name the vehicle ahead of its Australian launch later this year.
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Victorian entrant Steve Kodikara submitted the winning name and will receive the first Chery Stockman when the ute arrives in local showrooms.
Stockman selected after public voting process
After reviewing more than 20,000 entries, Chery shortlisted eight finalists before opening the decision to public voting.
The name Stockman ultimately secured more than 25 per cent of votes cast by over 12,000 Australians, ahead of finalists including Outrider, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra, Orca and Mate.
According to Chery, the winning name was chosen for its connection to Australia’s rural heritage and its association with reliability, resilience and capability.
Steve Kodikara said the inspiration came from the role stockmen have historically played in Australia’s agricultural sector.
“I’m incredibly honoured that Stockman was chosen from the thousands of entries submitted to title Chery’s new ute,” he said.
“I felt the name captured the spirit of Australia’s original workhorse and everything a ute should represent: reliability, capability and resilience.”
Chery’s first ute targets growing hybrid ute market
The Chery Stockman will mark a significant expansion of the brand’s Australian lineup, becoming the company’s first ute for the local market.
It is also set to be marketed as Australia’s first diesel plug-in hybrid ute, combining a diesel powertrain with plug-in hybrid technology as manufacturers increasingly explore alternative powertrain options in the highly competitive ute segment.
Chery Australia Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris said the competition demonstrated the strong connection Australians have with utes.
“The response to this competition exceeded our expectations and showcased just how passionate Australians are about utes,” Mr Harris said.
“Stockman stood out because it captured something uniquely Australian while reflecting the capability, reliability and innovation behind our upcoming ute.”
Diesel plug-in hybrid technology enters the ute segment
The launch of the Chery Stockman comes as Australia’s ute market continues to evolve, with manufacturers introducing hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric options alongside traditional diesel-powered models.
While full technical specifications have yet to be released, the Stockman is expected to combine the long-range touring and towing benefits associated with diesel engines with the efficiency and electric driving capability offered by plug-in hybrid technology.
The vehicle will compete in one of Australia’s largest and most competitive new vehicle segments, where dual-cab utes continue to dominate sales charts across both private and commercial buyers.
Further details on the Chery Stockman, including pricing, specifications and launch timing, are expected to be announced closer to its Australian release.
