Diesel dual-cab utes are in decline, but there could be a saviour from an unlikely source.
The Chery Stockman is coming this year packing a diesel hybrid set-up, which some of the biggest names in the business haven't been able to develop.
GWM is also developing diesel-electric technology to fit to its range of utes and 4WDs.
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Chery's will arrive first and it will determine whether the tech is a winner or an also-ran, and it could decide the fate of diesel dual-cabs as we know it.
Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is starting to bite, with carmakers that sell too many high CO2-emitting vehicles to be slugged with fines.
These fines in most cases will be passed onto consumers, which means high-polluting vehices - such as utes - could become more expensive.
The threshold for CO2 gets lower every year until 2030, which means the fines will keep rising until utes - in their current form - are prohibitively expensive.
However, carmakers can offset the fines by selling a large number of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.
That's bad news for brands like Ford, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubsihi and Toyota that only have small electric vehicle sales or none at all.
Chery and GWM could now be throwing the industry a lifeline.
The Chery Stockman will use a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine paired with an electric motor or two and a sizeable battery.
Details are scarce, but its torque outputs will be mega.
The high torque figures delivered by the combination of diesel and electric power - two fuel sources that create a lot of torque - is one of the benefits of this new set-up compared to more conventional petrol-electric plug-in hybrids, according to Chery's Executive Director of Engineering Peter Matkin.
BYD, Ford and GWM already have petrol plug-in hybrids on sale, and Toyota is believed to be preparing one, too.
Matkin suggested carmakers had shied away from the diesel hybrids in favour of petrol plug-ins as the latter was easier to engineer.
Petrol plug-in hybrids lack the grunt and capabilities dished out by diesel dual-cabs.
Both the Shark 6 and Ranger Hybrid have weak points. The Shark 6 can't tow or carry enough and isn't as surefooted off-road, while the Ranger can do this but it sacrifices electric driving range in the process. Neither add up to an ideal hybrid dual-cab.
This is where the diesel hybrids come in, according to Chery Australia's Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris.
"I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute," said Harris.
"And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things."
Chery said the new ute will be able to tow 3500kg and handle a one-tonne payload.
It will have front, centre and rear diff locks, and it should have low gearing for proper off-roading.
If this new breed of diesel hybrids don't change the game and attract a meaningful amount of buyers, then the writing is on the wall for diesel dual-cabs… petrol hybrids have won.