Ford’s next-generation Ranger could one day benefit from Chinese-developed technology, with Geely’s Australian boss refusing to rule out future collaboration in the ute segment.

Speaking with CarSauce at the Beijing Motor Show, Alex Gu, CEO of Geely Auto Australia and Vice President of Geely Auto International Corporation, was asked whether Geely would be open to sharing ute technology or a platform with another carmaker.

His answer was simple.

“Yeah, it should be,” Gu said, after pointing to Geely’s existing partnerships with brands including Renault and Mercedes-Benz.

The comments follow a recent Wall Street Journal report that Ford and Geely have held talks over potential technology and manufacturing collaboration. The report said the two companies had discussed bringing Chinese-developed technology to Ford, with talks around a broader partnership continuing overseas.

When asked directly whether there could be a world where the next Ford Ranger has some form of Geely involvement, Gu replied: “Why not? Maybe.”

The timing is important.

Ford Australia is heavily dependent on the Ranger ute and Everest SUV, both of which are among the country’s best-selling vehicles. However, both models are also diesel-heavy, placing Ford in a more difficult position as Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard continues to tighten.

Under the NVES, carmakers are measured against fleet-average CO2 targets and face a $50 liability for every gram of CO2/km above the target, multiplied by each vehicle sold, unless those liabilities are offset with credits.

For Type 2 vehicles, which include many utes, vans and heavier-duty SUVs, the target falls from 180g/km in 2026 to 150g/km in 2027, before dropping again to 122g/km in 2028 and 110g/km in 2029.

That creates an obvious challenge for Ford.

The current Ranger line-up includes four-cylinder diesel variants with official CO2 outputs in the high-100g/km range, while V6 diesel versions sit above 220g/km. The Everest is in a similar position, with four-cylinder diesel versions around 190g/km and V6 variants ranging higher again depending on specification. The Ranger PHEV brings that figure down significantly, with an official emissions output of 77g/km, but Ford’s volume remains built around diesel.

Geely, by contrast, is positioning itself in Australia as a new-energy brand.

Gu told CarSauce there is currently no plan for traditional ICE-only Geely models in Australia, with the brand instead focused on EVs, plug-in hybrids and future intelligent hybrid technology.

He also argued that legacy manufacturers facing emissions pressure have two options: spend heavily and wait years to develop new-energy platforms themselves, or work with a company that already has the technology.

“If I’m the owner of the legacy brand, I think the second way is more efficient,” Gu said.

Geely is already active in the ute space through Riddara, formerly known as Radar, which sells the RD6 electric ute in New Zealand.

In New Zealand, the Riddara RD6 is offered as a fully electric, car-based ute with a 73kWh LFP battery, 360km WLTP range, 3.0-tonne braked towing capacity and all-wheel-drive outputs of up to 315kW. It is priced around the $63,000 to $70,000 NZD mark and includes features such as vehicle-to-load power outlets, a front trunk and a large infotainment screen.

However, that model is not expected to come to Australia in its current form.

Gu said Riddara is “not the final solution” for Australia, suggesting it may suit markets such as Thailand but not necessarily the traditional ute expectations of Australian buyers.

“As I understand, normally traditional ute is HiLux, Ranger, for those models,” Gu said. “So we must create the Geely brand also, like these models, to enter into this segment.”

Geely is now developing a ute with Australia in mind, aimed at competing with the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and BYD Shark 6.

Gu agreed that heavy towing, payload, long range and genuine off-road capability are essential for a ute to succeed in Australia. He also confirmed Geely’s research and development team is preparing to spend time in Australia to study local requirements.

That gives Geely two possible paths into the ute market.

The first is obvious: launch its own Australian-focused ute under the Geely brand. The second is more intriguing: use its growing technology base to work with established manufacturers that need electrified platforms, hybrid systems or lower-emission vehicle architectures.

Ford is one of the brands under the most pressure.

The Ranger and Everest remain central to its Australian business, but tightening NVES targets mean diesel-heavy volume will become harder to sustain without more low-emission support. The Ranger PHEV is a start, but the challenge becomes sharper from 2027 as the Type 2 target falls to 150g/km.

Geely, meanwhile, wants to become Australia’s number one Chinese brand, ahead of all other Chinese brands. Gu said his first major goal is to make Geely the top-selling Chinese brand in Australia, pointing to his previous work growing Geely in the Middle East from fewer than 3000 annual sales to around 50,000.

A Geely-backed Ford Ranger remains a provocative idea, but the broader direction of the industry is clear.

Chinese carmakers are no longer simply competing with legacy manufacturers. They are increasingly becoming potential technology suppliers to them.

And with Ford and Geely reportedly talking, Geely developing its own Australian-focused ute, and Australia’s emissions rules placing increasing pressure on diesel best-sellers, the prospect of future ute collaboration no longer sounds as unlikely as it once did.