Chery will soon reveal the name of its upcoming plug-in hybrid ute (codenamed KP31), following an online competition that asked fans to come up with a name. Well, voting is set to begin soon on the finalists.
We just found some very recent trademark applications for a bunch of names registered by Chery Automobile, which could give us some clues as to what the finalists will be. Names were registered with the Australian Intellectual Property office, with some being filed just last week on April 28.
Perhaps the most interesting and cunning names are the Chery Orca and Chery Megalodon. Trademarks for these names were filed on June 6 last year and April 28 this year, respectively. Why are these the most interesting? Well, one of the Chery’s main rivals will be the BYD Shark 6.
As we know, the shark is one of the apex predators of the sea. However, the orca is known to take down sharks in the sea with its larger brain and sheer size and power. Naming it the Chery Orca would be a hilarious but obvious stab at the BYD ute.
Actually, the bluntest and most obvious blow to the BYD would be naming it the Chery Megalodon. The megalodon is an ancient and extinct beast of the ocean, some 2-3 times the size of a large great white shark. Naming it the Chery Megalodon would set very high expectations.
Some of the other interesting names recently trademarked include the Chery Nullarbor, which seems quite fitting for Australia, as well as the Chery Stockman, Chery Bushwalker, and Chery Pioneer. Other names registered include Wayfarer, Trailmaster, and Terravon.
Most of these trademarks have been registered under class 12, which is described as: “Automotive vehicles; vehicles; automobiles; motor vehicles; cars; goods vehicles; road vehicles for transportation; off-road vehicles; electric vehicles; land vehicles; commercial vehicles; utility vehicles.”
Official specs are yet to be outlined but Chery has confirmed the KP31 ute will offer a 3500kg braked towing capacity, 1000kg payload, and it will be offered with front, centre and rear diff locks. It’s also slated to offer an electric range of over 100km, with some reports suggesting a figure of 170km.
More details on the name are expected to roll out over the coming weeks, with a final name set to be locked in over the next few months. As previously reported, the new ute will be offered in diesel plug-in hybrid form to start with, launching in late 2026, and then a petrol plug-in hybrid will join in 2027.
