3rd July 2026 – Chery has officially revealed ‘Stockman’ as the name of its highly anticipated diesel plug-in hybrid ute, following a public naming competition held in Australia that attracted more than 20,000 entries.

The winning name reflects the rugged capability, dependability and hard-working character Chery has engineered into its first ute, a vehicle designed to meet the demands of both work and everyday life.

Chosen through a nationwide public vote, Stockman represents the resilience and determination long associated with those who work the land. While inspired by Australia's stockmen, the values behind the name – reliability, endurance and versatility – are equally familiar to New Zealand's farming, agricultural and rural communities.

Steve Kodikara from Victoria submitted the winning entry, describing the stockman as the original workhorse, capable of tackling challenging terrain while earning trust through reliability and perseverance. Chery believed the story perfectly captured the philosophy behind its new ute, which combines proven diesel capability with advanced plug-in hybrid technology.

"I'm incredibly honoured that Stockman was chosen from the thousands of entries submitted to name Chery's new ute," said Steve Kodikara.

"I felt the name captured the spirit of the original workhorse and everything a ute should represent; reliability, capability and resilience. I'm thrilled to see it become part of Chery's story."

The competition generated significant public interest, with more than 12,000 Australians casting votes from a shortlist of eight finalist names. Stockman secured more than 25 per cent of the vote ahead of finalists including Outrider, Orca, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra and Mate.

"The enthusiasm shown throughout the competition highlighted just how important utes are to customers," said Lucas Harris, Chief Operating Officer, Chery Australia & New Zealand.

"'Stockman' stood out because it represents strength, reliability and capability – qualities that define both the vehicle and the people it's inspired by. It perfectly reflects our vision for Chery's first ute."

The Stockman will become Chery's first ute and one of the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid utes, combining diesel performance with advanced electrified technology to deliver strong towing capability, long-distance touring potential and improved efficiency.

For New Zealand customers, Stockman represents another important step in Chery's expanding product portfolio, offering a compelling new option in one of the country's most competitive vehicle segments.

Further information regarding specifications, pricing and local availability will be announced closer to launch.