Chery has published a shortlist of nine names for its upcoming ute, currently codenamed KP31, and it includes everything from trees to towns… and one cheeky jab at a rival ute.
Voting is now open on Chery’s website, and closes on May 19. The initial naming competition ran for two weeks in March, and attracted more than 20,000 entries.
“We asked Australians to help name this ute, and they delivered in a big way. The shortlisted names show just how passionate Aussies are about utes, but also how they’re thinking about the next generation of vehicles as new energy technology evolves,” said Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris.
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The individual who submitted the winning name will receive the first Chery ute when it arrives in Australia later this year.
While humorous names like Dropbear and B-ute didn’t make the shortlist, there’s a wide variety of other names.
The most notable is Orca, which Chery says represents “strength, intelligence and dominance in the natural world”.
“The Orca is widely regarded as the most powerful predator in the ocean, mightier even than the shark,” it adds in a not-so-subtle dig at the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid dual-cab.
There’s also Longreach, referencing the Queensland town that also once gave its name to a trim level for the Ford Falcon ute, and Terra, the Latin word for ‘Earth’ but one that has had so many permutations already – Chery itself already sells vehicles in China under the Sterra nameplate.
The other shortlisted names are:
- Outrider, someone who rides ahead to scout unknown territory
- Ironbark, an Australian eucalyptus tree
- Bushwalker
- Stockman
- Ridgeback
- Mate
Chery has also published a slew of trademark applications with IP Australia. This includes Orca, Ironbark, Stockman and Bushwalker, as well as Ironback (instead of Ironbark), but doesn’t include Longreach, Mate or Terra.
However, Chery has also filed to protect the following names not included on the shortlist:
- Mankarra
- Warlu
- Terravon
- Pioneer
- Vanguard, a name previously used by Toyota and Standard
- Altrex
- Wayfarer
- Trailmaster, a name very close to Ineos’ ‘Trialmaster’
Notably, it has also filed to protect ‘Megalodon’, which is an extinct species of giant shark, and ‘Nullarbor’, which Holden had been set to use on an Australian-built and engineered crossover SUV.
Revealed in February 2026, the body-on-frame KP31 dual-cab will be launched with a segment-first diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain and is set to offer a 1000kg payload, a 3500kg braked towing capacity, and locking front, centre and rear differentials.
Expected to use a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, Chery’s first ute is set to offer up to 170km of electric driving range.
A petrol PHEV powertrain, like that employed by the rival BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV, will follow in 2027.
Petrol PHEV versions will run more conventional, car-like coil-spring rear suspension, whereas the diesel PHEV will come with a leaf-sprung rear-end setup, typically chosen for superior payload and towing capabilities.
Details seen on the rolling prototype revealed earlier this year include integrated rear steps, six-stud wheels, front and rear bash plates, and a snorkel.
The KP31’s chunky exterior design contrasts with a luxurious-looking interior, with available features set to include heated and ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof.
The Chery ute was originally shown in late 2025 at the Chengdu motor show as a model under Chery’s Rely brand, alongside a slightly smaller electric ute known as the KP2X.
At the same time, Rely confirmed it was working on a larger KP4X ute – which could target full-size US pickups like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota Tundra, and Ram 1500.
Chery’s Jetour brand has also revealed its own Australia-bound ute, , which could arrive here as soon as late 2027.
MORE: Explore the Chery showroom
