Steve Kodikara wins Chery Stockman naming contest with 25% of votes

chery Australia has named its upcoming diesel plug-in hybrid ute Stockman after a nationwide naming contest that drew more than 20,000 submissions. Steve Kodikara from Victoria submitted the winning entry, and Chery said the first Stockman ute will go to him when it lands in Australia later this year.

Stockman and the public vote

The public vote was narrowed to eight shortlisted names before Stockman took more than 25 per cent of the ballots cast by over 12,000 Australians. Chery Australia said the result finalizes the identity of its first ute and its first diesel plug-in hybrid, a step that gives the vehicle a public-facing name before details such as specifications, pricing and launch timing are released closer to market introduction.

Steve Kodikara said, "I'm incredibly honoured that Stockman was chosen from the thousands of entries submitted to title Chery's new ute. I felt the name captured the spirit of Australia's original workhorse and everything a ute should represent: reliability, capability and resilience. I'm glad it resonated with Australians, and I'm thrilled to see it become part of Chery's story,"

Lucas Harris on Stockman

Lucas Harris, Chery Australia's chief operating officer, said, "The response to this competition exceeded our expectations and showcased just how passionate Australians are about utes." He also said, "Stockman stood out because it captured something uniquely Australian while reflecting the capability, reliability and innovation behind our upcoming ute."

The shortlisted names were Outrider, Orca, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra and Mate. Chery described the competition as one embraced by drivers across the nation, including tradies, families, ute enthusiasts and regional communities, before revealing the name on June 17, 2026.

For readers waiting on the vehicle itself, the naming decision is the only firm step so far: the name is set, the first ute is promised to Kodikara, and the company has said the rest will come closer to market introduction.