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Utes are evolving.
Both in Australia and around the world, the notion of a big old diesel-powered body-on-frame workhorse is giving way to fresh ideas, including smaller, more car-like alternatives, as well as larger models running the gamut of electrification choices.
Ford is leading the way in North America with the Maverick, a medium SUV-sized “small pickup” with hybrid and turbo-petrol availability based on the (now sadly discontinued) Focus small car platform. It’s been a runaway smash-hit since launching in 2021. However, no right-hand-drive production precludes it for Australia – at least in its current guise.
Others are taking notice of Ford’s success and will be following suit, including – it is widely speculated – Toyota, that is said to be working on a dual-cab spin-off of the coming RAV4. This may even spawn a modern-day version of the late and lamented Subaru Brumby.
But enough of what’s coming, because, right now, there are already a bunch of progressive electrified dual-cab alternatives to the much-dirtier diesel utes currently plying our roads. Let’s check them out.
Unveiled globally this week, Chinese brand Chery’s yet-to-be-named Project KP31 is a dual-cab ute aimed squarely at Australian consumers, according to the brand.
On sale later this year, with pricing TBC, it is largely a traditional body-on-frame ute, but diverges from the rest by being our first-ever diesel-powered plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (d-PHEV).
This combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, electric motor and battery pack for about 100km of pure-EV range, while still providing a 3500kg braked towing capacity. Chery says a petrol-powered PHEV version with more creature comforts will join the d-PHEV sometime next year.
Right now, the brand formerly known as SsangYong is the only carmaker offering an all-electric ute in Australia.
Using the decades-old Musso nameplate, the South Korean EV is a medium-sized dual-cab ute riding on a skateboard architecture for a flat floor, heaps of interior space and a decent amount of load area out back.
Key details include a large 80kWh battery offering up to 420km of WLTP range, two or all-wheel drive, single or dual electric motor drive, a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) external power supply and 1800kg of braked towing capacity. Prices range from $60,000 to $64,000 drive-away.
Toyota is the latest brand to remanufacture full-sized North American dual-cab utes from left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive in Australia.
The six-metre long by two-metre-wide Tundra’s main point of difference against the Ram 1500 is its hybrid powertrain. Dubbed i-Force Max, it pairs a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 with an electric motor, channelling 326kW of power and 790Nm of torque to all four wheels.
For all that, the biggest Toyota ute ever delivers up to a 4500kg braked towing capacity, and shares its beefy TNGA-F platform with the LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado. But, from $156,000 before on-road costs, this beast isn’t cheap.
Perhaps 2025’s biggest success story, the BYD Shark 6 from $58,000 proves that Australians are hungry for something different in utes, selling an astonishing 18,000 units in its first year on sale.
This puts the Chinese dual-cab PHEV in fourth place out of 20 contenders in its category. Central to the BYD’s appeal is a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and electric motor set-up, offering a punchy 321kW of power and 650Nm of torque, for sports-car-like acceleration (0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds).
On the other hand, you can potter around for 100km in electric-only mode, thanks to a 30kWh battery, while the Shark 6’s combined average consumption figure is just 2.0L/100km. Note, though, that it only offers a 2500kg braked towing capacity.
The GWM Cannon Alpha made history two years ago, launching with Australia’s first-ever hybrid ute. But slow sales and a strong response to the BYD Shark 6 prompted the Chinese brand to replace it late in 2025 with the Hi4-T PHEV.
Like the BYD, there’s a circa-100km EV-only range, until a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine takes over, dishing out a sizeable 300kW/750Nm to all four wheels.
The big advantage that the GWM has over the BYD ute is a decent 3500kg braked towing capacity, as well as slightly lower fuel consumption.
Starting from $72,000, the Ranger PHEV costs more than its Chinese rivals, and yet delivers less range (under 50km), lower power/torque numbers (207kW/697Nm) and higher petrol consumption (2.9L/100km). On paper, the Ford struggles.
But, out in the real world, it steers, rides and drives more like a car than any other ute on the planet, boasts 3500kg of braked towing capacity, and is tailor-made for local conditions, since – like all Rangers – the South African-built PHEV models were designed and developed in Australia.
Launching soon, the HiLux BEV (for Battery EV) will only be the second electric ute in Australia after the KGM Musso EV, but will be the first since the demise of the unpopular LDV eT60 Electric with a full ladder-frame chassis for tough workhorse duties.
In fact, Toyota says it is mainly aimed at mining companies and fleets that demand EV utes but don’t need big range due to their short-haul work. As such, the HiLux BEV’s low circa-240km range balances distance and fast recharging times.
But the Thai-built electric dual-cab will bring just 2000kg of braked towing capacity to the table and a modest 60kWh battery feeding a 144kW electric motor on each axle for all-wheel drive, resulting in 205Nm and 268Nm of torque respectively. Pricing is TBC.
