Chery is expanding its portfolio with a new brand, Himla, aimed at producing pickups. The first product of Himla is a robust mid-size truck, likely on a ladder-frame chassis. The company plans to introduce a range of products to global markets such as Europe and Latin America. Chinese automaker Chery has numerous sub-brands, but that didn’t stop them from creating another one, intended for pickups. The Himla brand was unveiled alongside its first model – a mid-size pickup that will compete with the Toyota Hilux.
The pickup shown in Shanghai looks almost identical to the one that first appeared in October 2024, except for a different color, wheel design, and fewer accessories. The grille shines with the Chery logo, and the Himla emblem – likely inspired by the Himalayan mountain range – is intended for the tailgate. The first Himla features split LED headlights, aluminum skid plates, a high hood, muscular fenders, and integrated side steps on the rear bumper. It rides on sturdy alloy wheels, shod in all-terrain tires, and seems to have significant ground clearance. Judging by the features, this might be a high-end trim, similar to the Ford Ranger Wildtrak.
Inside, there is a Tesla-like touchscreen infotainment display in the center of the dashboard, a neatly integrated digital instrument cluster, and plenty of light, leather-like upholstery. Rear passengers have their own air vents. The cargo bed, judging by everything, is similar in size to popular mid-size pickups like the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Mitsubishi Triton, Kia Tasman, Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, and others. The company has not disclosed the specifications of the Himla, which looks production-ready. It is likely that this truck will ride on a ladder-frame chassis, allowing it to compete in payload and towing capacity with its rivals.
Under the hood, we expect to find gasoline, diesel, and electric powertrains, aligning with modern trends in the pickup segment. Himla pickups will be exported to global markets such as Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. As reported, the new brand has promised to introduce a “full range covering compact, mid-size, and large pickups”. Chery claims that Himla products will combine “unbeatable toughness for all roads and sophisticated design”. Interestingly, Chery recently announced the return of the Rely brand, which will also focus on pickups with internal combustion, electric, PHEV, and range-extender engines.
Himla and Rely will join Chery’s portfolio alongside Exeed, iCar, Jaecoo, Jetour, Karry, Kaiyi, Lepas, Luxeed, Omoda, and Soueast.