The car brand to watch in 2025: Not only is it the second-best-seller of hybrid cars behind Toyota, it is now a top ten brand in Australia, too

When it comes to being a Chinese car brand in Australia, GWM knows a thing or two about being the new kid on the block.

It was the very first Chinese car brand to go on sale here, arriving down under in 2009 with the V240 ute.

Now, 15 years later and with a diverse portfolio of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) across the Haval, Tank and Ora model lines, GWM is officially a top-ten brand in Australia, clocking the milestone according to September’s VFACTS sales data.

The brand now operates some 107 dealers across the country and is on track to register a record 40,000 local vehicle sales before the end of this year, with its eyes on an even bigger tally next year.

“We’re doing a whole load of things to make sure that with this next stage of growth, we’re ready for it. So what the competition does is up to them, but we’re going to bring our best game,” said Steve Maciver, Head of Marketing and Communications at GWM Australia.

A key focus for the brand is new-energy vehicle technology.

GWM is currently Australia’s second-best-selling manufacturer of hybrid vehicles to Toyota, and while the gap between first and second place remains substantial (Toyota sells six of Australia’s top-ten hybrid vehicles), GWM is doing everything in its power to reign it in.

“We’re very lucky that we’ve got an engineer and a research and development focus at head office in China that is very focused on new energy vehicles. That’s been the company's focus to try and lift [NEV sales] across the market,” said Maciver.

GWM currently sells five models with hybrid powertrains in Australia, consisting of its best-selling Haval Jolion, Haval H6, Tank 300, Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha ute models, along with one pure-electric vehicle, the GWM Ora hatchback.

Maciver said its sales growth of 22.8 per cent this year, up from 25,877 vehicle sales in September 23’ to 31,793 to September 24’, has been largely underpinned by the brand's investment in new-energy vehicles.

For example, approximately 50 per cent of the GWM's second-best-selling model, the Haval H6, is sold with a hybrid powertrain, equating to roughly 3400 sales so far this year.

That portfolio is only set to grow next year, with at least two more plug-in hybrid variants confirmed for Australia – and potentially a third.

Headlining those arrivals is the GWM Cannon Alpha, a plug-in hybrid ute with a pure-electric range of 110km. It is set to go toe-to-toe with the BYD Shark 6 and the Ford Ranger PHEV when it arrives in Q1 next year.

Additionally, there’s the plug-in hybrid variant of the Haval H6 GT, a fast-back family SUV that is set to gain a 35.6kWh battery pack, providing an additional 180km of pure-electric range.

That far exceeds the electric range of the leading BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, or anything else currently on sale in the Australian market.

Maciver also indicated a plug-in hybrid version of GWM's Toyota Prado challenger, the Tank 500, was also likely for Australia, but stopped short of confirmation.

The brand isn't just focusing on hybrid vehicles, though, said Maciver.

Unlike most Chinese brands that have arrived in Australia with an electric-only focus, Maciver confirmed that GWM would continue to refine its petrol and diesel offerings in accordance with New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES), set to commence next year.

“The advantage that GWM has over other brands who may be entering into the market is that we’re not just focusing on one technology,” he said.

“We are doubling down by continuing to improve the performance of [our] petrol and diesel [engines], as well as PHEV and EV.”

Judging by recent performance, its a formula that looks set to pay dividends for the brand moving into 2025.