The GWM Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute has made its in-person debut at this 12 months’s Beijing motor show, ahead of its Australian arrival later this 12 months.
The BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV rival is predicted towards the top of the third quarter (July to September) of 2026, giving GWM a second entry into the segment.
The Cannon Hi4-T will slot in under the present Cannon Alpha PHEV, launched here last 12 months, which is barely larger than the Shark and Ranger.
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Unlike the Cannon Alpha PHEV, the smaller plug-in ute doesn’t have its spare tyre mounted standing up in the bathtub. As an alternative, GWM has managed to squeeze it under the vehicle despite the massive battery. Total ground clearance is 220mm.
GWM is offering the ‘Hi4-T’ plug-in hybrid powertrain in each ‘passenger’ and ‘business’ versions of the Cannon in China. The latter is a longer-wheelbase (3470mm vs 3230mm) pickup body style which Australia doesn’t receive.
Even the passenger version encompasses a live axle on the rear, like most utes in Australia (though unlike the BYD Shark 6 which features an independent setup), plus a part-time four-wheel drive system with a mechanical linkage and a locking rear differential – just like the diesel-powered Cannon.
GWM says the Cannon Hi4-T borrows its PHEV powertrain from the Tank range of off-road SUVs, however it’s been tuned for a ute application.
First revealed in Chinese government filings in February, the PHEV ute encompasses a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 180kW and 380Nm of torque, with a 130kW/495Nm front electric motor and total system outputs of 310kW and 750Nm.
That’s 10kW greater than the Cannon Alpha PHEV, and provides the Hi4-T a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds.
It uses a nine-speed hybrid automatic transmission and a 33.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, as a substitute of the 37.1kWh pack within the Cannon Alpha PHEV.
NEDC electric range is 118km, barely higher than the 115km claim of the Cannon Alpha PHEV. Combined range is 1017km, barely lower than the 1060km claim of its larger sibling.
GWM says a 30-80 per cent battery charge on a DC fast charger takes 18 minutes.
The brand new PHEV also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a discharge capability of 6kW, allowing you to power small appliances or power tools.
Braked towing capability per GWM’s Chinese website is 3000kg, down on the Cannon Alpha PHEV and flagship Shark 6 Performance (3500kg) but ahead of other members of the Shark 6 range (2500kg) – the Australian division has, nonetheless, confirmed a 3.5t braked tow rating.
Inside, the cabin doesn’t have as many luxe details because the Cannon Alpha PHEV, however it’s a step up over the present Australian-market Cannon.
There’s a ten.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch touchscreen running GWM’s latest Coffee 3 infotainment operating system, featuring an anchored shortcut bar at the bottom of the screen.
GWM has yet to verify whether we’ll get these latest screens within the Australian-market Cannon Hi4-T. The present diesel range uses a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen.
The brand new PHEV also has a camp mode, and a sentinel mode said to supply “comprehensive intelligent safety monitoring and alarm reminders”.
With the launch of the Cannon HI4-T, GWM might be within the unique position of offering two different plug-in hybrid dual-cab utes.
The brand new, smaller model due this 12 months will likely be priced quite sharply too, given the larger Cannon Alpha Hi4-T PHEV is currently being offered from $54,490 drive-away. The most affordable Shark 6 ute (not cab/chassis) is $57,900 before on-road costs, with the Ranger PHEV costlier still.
PHEVs posted the most important percentage growth in 2025 of any fuel type within the Australian latest automotive marketplace, up 130.9 per cent 12 months on 12 months to 53,484 units, or around 50 per cent of EV sales (103,270, up 13.1 per cent).
A big chunk of this growth was driven by latest makes and models from China, including the BYD Shark 6 (18,073 units) and Sealion 6 (9055 units, up 46.1 per cent).
Other strong performers included GWM’s own Haval H6 (2542) and Cannon Alpha (1371) PHEVs, that are among the many 4 PHEVs it currently offers in Australia. The others are the Tank 300, which can be offered with petrol, diesel or hybrid power, and the Tank 500 which is obtainable as a hybrid.
GWM registered 52,809 latest vehicles across all its sub-brands in 2025, posting growth of 23.4 per cent over the previous 12 months in a flat market and placing it seventh among the many top 10 best-selling brands. It was also Australia’s third best-selling PHEV brand.
The sixth best-selling brand overall in Australia was Mitsubishi (61,198 units, down 17.9 per cent), meaning GWM could leapfrog towards the highest five should it manage over 60,000 sales this 12 months.
The corporate has said to interrupt said top five, it might have to crack the 75,000-80,000-unit mark, which is a 50 per cent increase in current volumes.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
