GWM has confirmed it’s working on diesel hybrid and diesel plug-in hybrid powertrains, which shall be launched in China early in 2027 – and their Australian release is on the cards, given the importance of our market to the Chinese automaker.
“We’ve each [powertrain types in development], it might probably be hybrid and plug-in hybrid, you possibly can select what you want,” GWM chief technology officer Nicole Wu told Australia and Latest Zealand media.
She confirmed GWM is developing technical solutions to administer NOx and particulate emissions, typically a challenge for diesel engines.
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“Emission treatment systems on a diesel engine, built for a standard automotive and a hybrid, are very similar,” explained GWM technical director and chief engineer Adam Thomson. “The answer to the emissions issue is largely the identical one.”
Ms Wu said GWM believes diesel hybrids shall be vital for Australia, likely referring to our emissions regulations under the Latest Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).
Given these diesel hybrids aren’t due in China until early 2027, a launch in Australia will likely follow after that – and permit Chery to get a jump on GWM, with its latest diesel plug-in hybrid ute due here before the tip of 2026.
Nonetheless, GWM has been working on diesel hybrid and diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology for a while.
“The diesel hybrid technology just isn’t latest. It has been in development for around six years,” GWM chairman Jack Wei told Australia and Latest Zealand media through a translator.
“Testing in business vehicles has shown around 15 per cent fuel savings in flat conditions, and as much as 30 per cent in additional demanding environments like Australia.
“The standard weaknesses of diesel, comparable to lag during acceleration and better noise, are addressed by electrification. Electric assistance removes lag and reduces noise.
“At speeds of around 50 to 60km/h, noise levels are comparable to petrol vehicles. In lots of cases, customers wouldn’t give you the option to inform the difference.
“From GWM’s testing, diesel engines with hybrid systems can meet very strict emissions standards, including Euro 7, even without AdBlue in some cases.”
No specifications have been released as yet for these latest electrified diesel powertrains, though GWM currently offers a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine in its Cannon and Cannon Alpha, with a brand new 3.0-litre unit due later this 12 months.
GWM also hasn’t confirmed which of its models will offer the technology. It currently only offers diesel powertrains in its larger body-on-frame vehicles, including its utes and the Tank 300 and Tank 500 off-road SUVs sold in Australia.
While other brands currently offer or have previously offered diesel plug-in hybrid powertrains in other markets, including Mercedes-Benz, none of those have been offered in Australia.
There have been mild-hybrid diesel engines within the ute segment, including within the Toyota HiLux, but otherwise more electrified powertrains have used petrol engines at their core – including GWM’s own Cannon Alpha PHEV.
GWM has also previously offered a standard petrol-hybrid version of the Cannon Alpha in Australia, though it has phased this out in favour of the PHEV.
The Chinese brand offers a big selection of petrol hybrid and petrol plug-in hybrid vehicles in Australia, including not only ladder-frame utes and SUVs but additionally more car-like crossover SUVs.
This allowed it to be the third-largest brand for hybrid sales in Australia in 2025, in addition to third overall for PHEVs.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
