Geely's Radar Auto hits Lao market

Radar Auto, a new energy vehicle brand under Geely, launched its electric pickup RD6 in Laos on Tuesday, marking its effort to explore overseas markets.

Guo Tiefu, chief marketing officer of Radar, said the launch of the RD6 in Laos will allow the model to compete with rivals from international brands and showcase the strength of the Chinese automotive industry.

Compared with sedans and SUVs, Southeast Asia has a greater demand for pickups, especially electric ones.

Also, electrification has become a major goal in Southeast Asia. The Lao government has formulated a plan that electric vehicles will account for at least 30 percent of total vehicle sales by 2030.

The RD6 is one of the most popular electric pickups in China. In October, it seized a 70.8 percent share in its segment in the country.

The model has a range of 632 kilometers on one charge. It can finish the zero to 100 km per hour acceleration in 6.9 seconds, and its top speed can reach 185 km per hour.

Radar said it will speed up its efforts to go global. According to its plan, the brand will be available in around 10 countries by January 2024 in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East as well as Central and South America.