Chery is still finalising the Australian tune for the Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid ute roughly three months before its current 1 February 2027 showroom target.

Mark Qi, Chief of Product, Chery Stockman, told CarSauce in China engineers are still working on steering weight, brake pedal feel, diesel-electric powertrain smoothness and rear leaf spring suspension for Australia.

South African media drove the Stockman in China this week, while Australian media did not drive it because the ute was not ready in Australian specification.

"We need Australia's feedback to improve," Qi said.

"For now we still focus on the EPS, the steering, the force.
The second thing is the brake.
It's also different habits, especially for ute users, it's too light.
And the powertrain, we want it more smooth.
This is what we keep doing and improving, to make sure the launch is the perfect product for the Australian people, because Australia is the Stockman's first market."

"We still keep working on the rear suspension, the leaf springs.
We need to do more."

The Stockman is a key new model for Chery's Australian expansion, following earlier confirmation of the Stockman name and diesel plug-in hybrid format for the local ute market.

Qi positioned Australia as the Stockman's first and most important global market, ahead of South Africa and South America.

February target remains in place

Qi said a test vehicle was sent to Australia in September, with another new-specification vehicle due in mid-November.

"In September we already sent a test vehicle to Australia, and in the middle of November we will send a new-specification vehicle to Australia, so Australian people can give us more feedback," Qi said.

"For the engineers, three months is very short.
They also complain, 'we need more time, we need more time.' But we keep working on it."

"For now, the target is still February next year.
We will deliver the Stockman."

Asked whether feedback from the November vehicle could push showroom arrival to March or April, Qi did not directly answer the timing question.

"The EPS is all software, so for us it's a little easy," Qi said.

"We get the feedback maybe end of November, and in January we need to produce.
We need to keep working.
When we get feedback, the engineers can do the software and EPS directly."

The current position leaves Chery with a tight development window before Australian production timing, with further local feedback still to come before the Stockman reaches showrooms.

The next new-specification vehicle due in November will be central to that process, particularly for software-based steering changes and the remaining suspension, braking and powertrain calibration work.

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