Chery has resumed teasing the soon-to-arrive KP31 bakkie by previewing the interior of the concept shown in Australia in February.
Bakkie onslaught
Still to be officially named, the production KP31 will enter assembly near the end of the year, powered by a plug-in hybrid turbodiesel powertrain.
Anticipated to go on sale in South Africa next year, the KP31 will form part of an eventual three-bakkie range for both China and export markets.
Joining the already revealed Himla, known as the Rely R08 in the People’s Republic, the third option will be the intricate T1TP.
Shown as a concept at Chery’s annual International User Summit in Wuhu last year, the T1TP will also go into production later this year, with a preview set to be provided later this month.
First look inside
Compared to the Himla/R08, which has also been tipped for South Africa but not confirmed, the KP31’s interior takes a more upmarket approach.
Reminiscent, ironically, of the BYD Shark and Denza B5/B8, prominent use of physical buttons and toggle switches is made, which expands to the steering wheels.
Sporting a two-tone finish, the infotainment display appears similar to the R08’s, while the centre console features a stubby gear lever similar to the Shark’s.
Noted are buttons for the front, centre and rear locking differentials, for the 360-degree camera system and buttons marked Auto and EV, which refer to the drive modes of the hybrid system.
Also noted is ambient lighting, a panoramic glass roof, a floating centre console and toggle switches for the heated and ventilated front seats.
Electrified diesel heart
Appearing near production-ready, no exact details of the interior were revealed, similar to what resides up front.
For the moment, Chery has also confirmed that the plug-in hybrid setup is modelled around a 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine.
At the unveiling of the Himla last year, outputs were reported as 260kW/680 Nm. However, this hasn’t been set in stone for the KP31.
Petrol-based plug-in hybrid powertrains will also feature as a direct rival for the Shark, the GWM P500 PHEV and the Ford Ranger PHEV.
As a comparison, the R08 makes do with a conventional 2.3-litre turbodiesel outputting 120kW/420Nm.
Known specs
At present, the concept’s only other confirmed details is an overall length of 5 610 mm, a width of 1 920 mm and a height of 1 925 mm.
The production model, though, will have an eventual length of 5 450 mm, a payload of 1 000 kg and tow rating of 3 500 kg.
SUV next?
Also set to form the base for sister brand Jetour’s incoming P5, the KP31 has also been tipped as spawning a possible SUV aimed at the Ford Everest and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
“I desperately hope that we are fortunate enough in the future to have that option,” Chery Australia Chief Operating Officer, Lucas Harris, told carsales.com.au at the unveiling of the KP31 in February.
Harris, however, stopped short of confirming the SUV version outright, saying, “we’ve got a bit of a job to do to prove our credibility and being able to produce a capable ute to start with”.
“So most of our focus is let’s get this one right. And then all of the future stuff and the dreams and ambitions that come from that we can worry about later”.
For South Africa
Already rumoured as being the possible model that could be assembled in South Africa next year once complete control is taken of the now former Nissan plant in Rosslyn outside Pretoria, final details of the KP31 will only be announced later this year.
