Reborn Proton Arena? Right-hand drive Geely Radar/Riddara ready for Malaysia, trademark filed

In China, pick-up trucks aren’t the most popular choice among buyers which is why the Radar RD6 could find more appeal in right-hand drive (RHD) markets like Australia and Thailand where pick-ups are king.

The battery electric (BEV) pick-up truck is only available in a handful of left-hand drive (LHD) markets but it could finally make its way to RHD markets 2 years after its debut. This is evident in an official photo of an RD6 in RHD posted on Geely's LinkedIn page.

Aside from the steering wheel on the correct side (in the case of our market), the electric pick-up also has a new name stamped on the hood. It might seem that overseas markets could see the Radar name replaced by Riddara instead.

There doesn’t seem to be any official explanation for the change in brand as even the official Riddara website offered blanks. The most recent press release posted on its English website still uses the Radar name though a headline on its export production announcement saw the only use of Riddara.

Still, checks with the international trademark offices showed that the Riddara name was registered by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in many countries including Malaysia as recently as March 2024.

Australian media reported that Geely cancelled the trademark for the Radar name Down Under after opposition from a Singapore-based tyre company called Omni United which has a sub-brand called Radar Tires.

Details on the specifications of the Riddara RD6 have not been revealed but from the photos published, it seems that the RHD unit could retain most features that are on the Chinese-spec Radar RD6.

Also read: Geely's Radar RD6 EV pick-up truck debuts in China with 600 km range

The RD6 is built on Geely Group’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform which is a monocoque chassis. Unlike its pick-up truck peers which sit on a conventional ladder-frame chassis, the RD6 might be at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to actual pick-up truck duties.

Also read: An electric eunuch? Geely's Radar RD6 is an EV truck that can't do truck things

Also, the RD6 is only available with a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 272 PS and 384 Nm in China. A dual-motor all-wheel drive version is in the works and is expected to be launched around the second quarter of 2024.

Dubbed Radar Horizon, combined power output would be bumped to 428 PS and 594 Nm. According to the Radar's claims, the Horizon will have an 865-kg payload and a 3,000-kg towing capacity.

Depending on the variants, the RD6 has a maximum range (CLTC) of between 410 to 632 km. Battery capacity is between 63 to 100 kWh depending on variants while prices start from CNY 145,800 (~RM 96k).

Could we see the Riddara making its way to Malaysia but not as a Proton? Geely scrapped plans to set up a plant in Thailand that was initially speculated to be the base of production for the RHD version of the pick-up.

Also read: Geely scraps Thai EV production plans, focusing on Malaysia instead?

Geely claimed that such a plan to set up a Thai base never occurred. It recently made an appearance at the ongoing 2024 Bangkok Motor Show to showcase its line of Zeekr premium BEV models including the public debut of an RHD Zeekr X.