GWM News

China's new Toyota Camry rival exposed
By Tim Gibson · 09 Sep 2026
A new affordable electric sedan could be headed our way.The GWM Ora 5 Sedan has appeared in Chinese government approval filings as it gears up for launch later this year.At 4758mm long, the Ora 5 is smaller than the Toyota Camry, but will still provide competition for the popular Japanese hybrid sedan.The Ora 5 Sedan will be available in petrol, conventional hybrid and fully-electric set-ups, so its variants cover a broad spectrum of buyers.The Ora 5 Sedan EV will rival the BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3, while petrol variants will tackle the Mazda 3.There are limited details available for the Ora 5 Sedan at this stage.Petrol variants use a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, making 135kW and 275Nm, while the hybrid adds an electric motor to boost power to 166kW and 476Nm.The Ora 5 Sedan EV has a single electric motor, producing 150kW and 260Nm. The front of the Ora 5 Sedan looks similar to other Ora 5 variants with a bubble-like headlight design and an overall rounded look.It has traditional door handles, and from the back, sports a single continuous rear light bar, along with a sloping roofline.GWM Australia has not confirmed if the Ora 5 Sedan will arrive in Australia, but the brand is keen to focus on the name here."In terms of the levels of adoption that we expect to see within this market, within the coming years, we expect (hybrids) to accelerate more quickly," GWM Australia Head of Marketing and Communications Steve Maciver told CarsGuide in late 2025."We think we can do a lot more with Ora… with plug-in hybrid, but EV will certainly come behind that as well, for sure."The electric Ora 5 SUV has already launched in Australia, with a hybrid variant expected to arrive soon.GWM has also confirmed an Ora 5 electric hatchback is on the way for Australia.In August 2026, the Ora 5 GT wagon was approved for sale in China, with the local branch confirming the car was under consideration for Australia.GWM Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the Ora 5 sedan will launch in Australia.
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Huge EV preview for Aussie buyers
By Tim Gibson · 09 Sep 2026
Buyers are about to get their first look at the next wave of EVs coming to Australia. The 2026 Everything Electric Sydney event will showcase many of the latest EVs headed Down Under, and will have a record number of new examples on show.Many affordable Chinese plug-in hybrid and fully-electric cars will be available to look at, as well as some of the most anticipated new cars on their way to Australia. There will be plenty of new models put on show for the first time by Chery. Chery’s European-styled sub-brand Lepas will have two of its new models about to hit Aussie showrooms on display. The Lepas L6 electric mid-size SUV will be the brand’s first car put on sale in Australia, due in October 2026. Lepas will also show off its smaller L4 electric SUV that is expected to arrive Down Under in 2027. Chery’s adventure-focused sub-brand iCaur will introduce its V25 rugged SUV for the first time.The V25 is scheduled to arrive in early 2027 with a range-extender hybrid set-up to rival the plug-in hybrid Denza B5. Chery and Omoda Jaecoo will debut new models at the show as well, with more details to be revealed closer to the event. Zeekr will unveil its hugely-anticipated 7GT electric wagon publicly for the first time. The 7GT takes aim at Europe’s elite luxury models the Audi S5, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Earmarked for a late 2026 or early 2027 arrival, the 7GT will be the popular Chinese brand’s fourth model on sale Down Under. Geely will continue its new model surge in Australia, with the introduction of two SUVs to its line-up. The brand has not revealed any more specific details about what the models are. They will join the mid-sized fully-electric EX5 and plug-in hybrid Starray EM-i that have both experienced a positive sales return so far. Geely is on the up in Australia, with its methodical approach to introducing models seeing it claim solid sales results.GWM is another brand to have a strong presence at Everything Electric. The brand’s new-generation Haval H7 mid-size SUV will be on show, scheduled to launch Down Under later in 2026. It is expected to be available in both five- and seven-seater configurations, giving it a wider family appeal. GWM will also have a more affordable PHEV ute on display. The GWM Cannon PHEV is pitched as a cheaper and smaller sibling to the Cannon Alpha PHEV, and could undercut the confidently-selling BYD Shark 6. The Cannon PHEV is expected to officially launch in Australia in October 2026. MG’s U9 electric ute will be on display for the first time in New South Wales at the show. The U9 is one of few electric utes targeting the Australian market, along with the low-volume Toyota HiLux BEV. MG’s luxury sub-brand IM will put its LS9 large SUV on display. The LS9 is a six-seater SUV that provides competition for the popular Zeekr 9X. It could launch in Australia in later 2026 or early 2027. Hyundai will present its Staria Load Electric van for the first time in Australia. The Staria Load EV will join diesel- and hybrid-powered variants of the car already on sale. It will battle in an increasingly competitive electric van segment against the Kia PV5 and affordable Chinese rivals, including the LDV eDeliver 7. Forthing will show off an electric people mover that will launch in 2027. Forthing currently only sells its Taikon 5 mid-size SUV in Australia, available as a range-extender hybrid or fully-electric. Cadillac’s new Lyriq V performance SUV will be on show. It is the brand’s first of its V-Series, boasting as the fastest Cadillac ever. It will join the standard Optiq, Vistiq and Lyriq SUVs Down Under in early 2027. Cadillac Lyriq-VChery and Omoda Jaecoo new models Forthing electric people moverTwo Geely SUVsGWM Haval H7 and Cannon PHEVHyundai Staria Load ElectriciCaur V25IM LS9Lepas L6 and L4MG U9 EVZeekr 7GT
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These are the top annoying new car features
By Chris Thompson · 05 Sep 2026
Motoring journos spend a lot of time in all manner of cars, and with the increasing pace of change brought on by technology, new brands and electrification, we’re constantly reassessing what a good car should be.The fundamentals stay the same, of course, but car brands are increasingly trying new things. Sometimes they work, sometimes they should go back to the drawing board.Some of these are widespread, and some remain rare oddities, but it would be great if all of them vanished.I need to get this one out of the way first because if I don’t mention how driver assists are ruining the driving experience in some cars, I’ll be called out in the comments.In a lot of cases I actually think driver assists are becoming better tuned and brands are realising we would like easy ways to turn them off, but there are still lane-keeps and driver monitors that would drive a saint to swear.The traditional method of pulling a lever down to ‘drive’ has always worked well, everyone quite naturally knows how to do it.I’ll even concede that the return of column-mounted shifters is a nice way to clear-up space in the centre console, as long as the direction you need to pull the shifter follows logic.But ever since a gear selector dial in a Ford Focus ST-Line wagon caught me off guard in 2019, I’ve seen more odd shifter methods creeping in. From individual buttons on the dash (Jeep Avenger) to the swipe on the screen for each direction (Tesla), these methods are annoying to use in a hurry.If you’re in the middle of a three-point turn and you have to look at what you’re doing with your hands to get the car into reverse, a designer somewhere has failed.The biggest culprit for weird and unintuitive door handles is, to most people, Tesla. Many have commented on being confused when faced with entry to a Model 3 Uber that’s pulled up to the kerb for a pick-up.Tesla is not alone in this, however.On the inside, the current Ford Ranger and Ford Everest have ‘squeeze’ handles, many new EVs have buttons to open, and other new car doors have handles that open incongruently with how your arm moves as you open the door to exit.On the outside, the Zeekr 7X has exterior buttons on the b-pillars to open the doors electrically, some cars have retractable handles so they sit flush with the door, and others have similar frustrating handles that you must first ‘press’ to pop-out before you can open the door.Not only is it frustrating for your passengers, but it can also be unsafe in an emergency.RFID (short for ‘radio frequency identification’) or NFC (near field communication) functions are pretty handy for plenty of things: contactless payments, building access fobs, even your toll pass or data transfer.More specifically, NFC has been adapted by some brands to cards used to unlock and even start new cars, like the Volvo EX30 or the Leapmotor B10.Tap the card in the right place (like the b-pillar or the driver wing mirror) and the car unlocks, then place the card in the centre console slot and the car starts. No fobs with buttons for unlocking your car on approach or unlocking it from a distance.Inconvenient? Very. Annoying? Yes. And it means you have to find somewhere to keep the card rather than just having the fob on your keyring.The implementation of the central touchscreen in new cars has become an anathema to convenience. It’s now an easy way for designers to create ‘sleek’ environments and for engineers to save money on buttons.It’s also now allowing some manufacturers (Volvo, you again) to move some otherwise out-of-the-way controls to a digital home.The electric seat adjustments that used to sit on the side of the seat or on the door, the side mirror adjustment controls that could once be found by the window, and in some cases the steering column adjustment controls - all now on-screen controls as far as Volvo is concerned.It’s not alone, as some new Chinese brands are doing the same, but it’s especially disappointing from the brand that once made the three-point seatbelt design public domain in the interest of safety over profit.I think cars that make sounds on unlock and lock, akin to a PC or old Macintosh startup sound, are more embarrassing than actually annoying but they’ve made the list nonetheless.I don’t need my car to chime away when I unlock it in the car park at work, especially not when people are already looking at the car and trying to figure out what it is. I’m looking at you, Zeekr and now GWM.Some of them are loud, some of them can be disabled, all of them are unnecessary.
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Tesla Model Y back on top in Australia
By Tim Gibson · 03 Sep 2026
Aussie car buyers can’t get enough of the Tesla Model Y right now.Tesla’s mid-size SUV topped the sales charts for August 2026, fending off three Toyota models in the latest set of data. Total car sales held relatively steady in August, with plenty of the usual players occupying the top spots. Electric cars are also making an impact Down Under.Four electric-only models made featured in the top 10 last month.The Tesla Model Y surged to the top of the monthly standings once again, with 6414 sales as its new three-row Model Y L experienced sustained popularity.Combining sales of its Model 3 sedan, Tesla was the third best-selling brand in the country. Toyota’s near 20,000 sales was the best out of any brand, and saw it occupy second, third and fourth on the standings. Its new RAV4 continues to impress (5470), followed by the Hilux ute (4833) that now holds a healthy lead over its arch rival the Ford Ranger (2440). Sales numbers start to drop off after the HiLux, with the Prado’s 2475 rounding out the top four. The Ford Ranger ute experienced another decline in August 2026, falling to fifth position on the standings (2440).The Ranger has been the best-selling car in Australia for the last three consecutive years, but sales decreased in August 2026 by more than 50 per cent compared to August 2025.  The next five cars were from Chinese brands as they increased their grasp over the Australian market. The BYD Sealion 7 mid-size SUV finished in sixth place (2213), followed by the Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV (2012), with the Geely EX5 registering 1947 examples last month. BYD may only have had one car in the top 10, but it was the second best-selling brand in Australia in August 2026.Key Tiggo 4 rival, the GWM Haval Jolion, sold 1891 units, while the Zeekr’s 7X sold 1748 units last month. The Isuzu D-Max took out ninth spot for the month (1708), with the Hyundai Kona finishing off the top 10 with 1688 sales. 
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Sharp price for new Ford Everest fighter
By James Cleary · 17 Aug 2026
GWM Australia has released pricing and detailed specifications for new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel powered versions of its Cannon Alpha dual cab ute and three-row Tank 500 SUV.And the Chinese brand is clearly determined to upset the established order amongst competitors for both models with aggressive price positioning and a value-focused list of included features accompanying their enhanced powertrain performance.Close to two years ago the petrol-electric BYD Shark 6 offered an instantly popular hybrid ute alternative and Chery’s soon-to-arrive Stockman will offer diesel-electric hybrid power.But while those newcomers have been thinking outside the box, GWM has stayed squarely within it, launching its all-new 170kW/620Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine as a shot across the bows of the market-leading Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.In a launch statement, GWM said, “The message is simple: Australians still want diesel power, and GWM is giving them more of what they want, for less.“Both models will be priced thousands of dollars below comparable competitors, delivering a level of performance, specification and value designed to challenge the established market leaders,” it said.And it’s worth noting GWM is running with an introductory offer of a $2000 drive-away cash bonus or $2000 fuel card on these models until October 30, 2026.GWM is keen to highlight local development work to optimise the new engine’s performance, led by the brand’s Lead Product Dynamics and Integration Manager, Rob Trubiani.In fact, GWM said Australian and Chinese engineering teams have put the vehicles through “an extensive development program focused on optimising performance, refinement and durability for Australian drivers, including ride and handling, engine and transmission calibration, towing performance and software.”The 3.0-litre four produces 26 per cent more power (+35kW) and 29 per cent more torque (+140Nm) than the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel in supersedes. But despite the higher outputs, GWM is claiming combined cycle fuel efficiency of 7.3L/100km for the Cannon Alpha (substantially lower than the 2.4L’s 8.9L/100km) and 7.1L/100km for the Tank 500.Braked trailer towing capacity is 3500kg for both models (up from 3000kg for the Tank 500)  Confirming the pricing and spec details, GWM Australia Chief Operating Officer John Kett said, “When you look at the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 against the established volume players in their respective segments, the difference is clear. “We’re offering a higher level of standard specification, more performance and more technology, while asking customers to pay thousands of dollars less.“That is a proposition we believe Australian customers will find very compelling,” he said.Coffee OS (intelligent cockpit system)14.6-inch central touchscreen (up from 12.3-inch)12.3-inch colour digital instrument clusterWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoGWM App (vehicle status and selected functions controlled via smartphone)Full ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) suite18-inch alloy wheelsSide stepsRoof railsAuto LED headlights with DRL + electric levellingLED tail-lightsFront grille – chromePower fold exterior mirrorsKeyless entryRear privacy glassOne piece tailgateSpray on tub linerFull-size spare (steel)Synthetic leather trimPower front seatsDual-zone climate controlSix-speaker audioAdaptive cruise controlSeven airbagsBlack styling treatmentFront diff lockPanoramic sunroofFull-size alloy spare60/40 split tailgateNappa leather accented trimHeated and cooled front seats (with massage)Head-up display10-speaker audioFront and rear diff locksLow-range transfer caseAll-terrain mode selection18-inch alloy wheelsElectric sunroofSynthetic leather trimPower front seatsDual-zone climate controlAmbient lighting (seven-colour)Eight-speaker audioBlack styling treatmentNappa leather accented trimHeated and cooled front seats (with massage)Head-up displayAmbient lighting (64-colour)Heated steering wheel12-speaker audioActive noise cancellingPre-orders for the GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 3.0-litre turbo-diesel models are open now with cars scheduled to arrive in dealerships from mid-September.
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Australia's invisible car giants
By Andrew Chesterton · 15 Aug 2026
Australia's top 10 sales list looks very different when automotive groups are counted together, with Hyundai and Kia rocketing up the charts and Chinese companies taking out four places in total.While vehicles might wear different names, often they are owned by the same company, such as the Volkswagen Group with VW, Skoda, Cupra, Audi and more, Toyota with Toyota and Lexuz, or Geely with Geely, Zeekr, Polestar and Lotus.Counted as groups with a single corporate owner rather than as individual brands –which, it must be pointed out, is not how Australia's official body counts sales, making this more an experiment than anything else – and the sales results look very different.At the close of July, for example, Toyota led the YTD sales charts with a total 115,550 sales. BYD nabbed second spot, with 60,192 sales, followed by Ford, Kia and Mazda, with 48,696, 48,399 and 46,960 sales. Hyundai, GWM, Chery, Tesla and Mitsubishi round out the top 10.But counting group totals rather than individual brands paints a very different picture. Toyota and Lexus still comfortably hold top spot, with 122,902 sales, but it's the Hyundai Group (Hyundai and Kia) which take second spot, with a combined 94,113. Next comes the BYD Group (BYD and Denza) with 62,885. Ford and Mazda hold onto spots four and five, even as individual players.It's spot six through 10 where things get interesting, with the Chery Group (Chery, Omoda Jaecoo) storming into spot number six with 40,522 sales. GWM remains in spot seven, while the Geely Group arrives in the top 10 with 28,089 total sales. Mitsubishi and MG (the fifth Chinese brand/group inside this new top 10) fill spots eight and nine.For Chery, the July result was enough to elevate the group to spot number four for the month – a result which did not go unnoticed at HQ."Becoming the fourth largest automotive group in Australia is a significant achievement and demonstrates how strongly Australian consumers have embraced both Chery and Omoda Jaecoo," said Lewis Lu, CEO of Chery Motor Australia.   
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China's new anti-SUV incoming
By Tim Gibson · 12 Aug 2026
A new variant for the GWM Ora 5 has appeared in Chinese government filings.Dubbed the Ora 5 GT, it is a plug-in hybrid wagon sibling to the budget electric Ora 5 SUV already on sale in Australia.The car was spotted undergoing testing in China in June, and is GWM's latest addition to its busy Ora lineup.It is bigger than the Ora 5 electric SUV, measuring up at 4758mm long, up to 1844mm wide, 1630mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2720mm.There are no direct rivals for the car in Australia, with the BYD Seal 6 PHEV wagon ($34,990) a size up.The Ora 5 GT will be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and electric motor set-up, making 115kW. The car will be fitted with a lithium-iron-phosphate battery from Chinese giant CATL, but there is no official driving range figure yet.GWM Australia hasn't officially confirmed the arrival of the Ora 5 GT yet, but the local branch is considering it.The car won't launch this year, with it more likely to hit the market in early 2027 if it does come here.The brand axed its Ora hatch EV Down Under earlier this year, effectively replacing it with the Ora 5 SUV.A hatchback variant of the Ora 5 will launch in Australia before the end of this year, with a hybrid SUV variant not too far away either.Hybrids are on the agenda for GWM, with the brand plotting to bring across more Ora variants to Australia. "In terms of the levels of adoption that we expect to see within this market, within the coming years, we expect (hybrids) to accelerate more quickly," GWM Australia Head of Marketing and Communications Steve Maciver told CarsGuide in late 2025. "We think we can do a lot more with Ora… with plug-in hybrid, but EV will certainly come behind that as well, for sure."
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New cut-price hybrid ute confirmed
By Dom Tripolone · 11 Aug 2026
Another affordable plug-in hybrid ute is circling the popular BYD Shark 6.GWM has confirmed its new Cannon PHEV (plug-in hybrid) ute will arrive in Australia soon.It will join the pack hunting down BYD’s leading Shark 6, which includes the Ford Ranger Hybrid, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and the coming Chery Stockman.Slightly smaller than the Cannon Alpha, the Cannon ute is the latest vehicle to bring the Chinese brand’s Hi4-T plug-in hybrid four-wheel drive tech Down under.It pairs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor to make 310kW and 750Nm.This is matched with a 33.1kWh battery that delivers a claimed driving range of 115km, which is calculated via the more lenient NEDC testing.GWM claims it drinks just 2.4-litres per 100km, but as with all plug-in hybrids drivers will need to be disciplined with charging the battery to get close to that figure.GWM claims it can be driven more than 1000km (NEDC) before the battery is depleted and the fuel tank emptied.The Cannon PHEV is ready to rock off-road, with the Hi4-T system using a mechanical four-wheel drive set-up, which is in contrast to some rivals.GWM is also working on a diesel plug-in hybrid Cannon, which is expected to join the line-up at a later date.GWM hasn’t confirmed prices yet, but has said the Cannon PHEV will be one of the most affordable plug-in hybrid utes in the nation.The company hasn’t revealed the line-up either. If it mimics the standard diesel version it will be available in Lux, Ultra and Vanta grades as well as pick-up or cab chassis body styles.We can look to the larger Cannon Alpha for some price guidance. It costs about $10,000 to upgrade from a diesel to plug-in hybrid Cannon Alpha. So that means a plug-in hybrid Cannon could start at about $52,000, drive-away, for the Lux grade or about $55,000 for the Ultra variant.That puts the Cannon PHEV on track to be cheaper than the BYD Shark 6 dual-cab pick-up which starts at $57,990, drive-away, with a cab-chassis version $2000 cheaper.Chery’s coming Stockman, which uses a diesel plug-in hybrid set-up, will be aggressively priced when it arrives later this year.Ford has cut thousands off the price of its Ranger plug-in hybrid, with it now available for $62,000, drive-away.
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Best mid-size SUVs still to come in 2026
By Jack Quick · 11 Aug 2026
Despite an already huge year for new model launches, there are still some key mid-size SUVs slated for Australia in the tail end of 2026 which might be worth waiting for.So far this year, new-generation versions of top-selling mid-size SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 have arrived, among a swathe of new contenders from challenger brands.If you’re not a huge fan of what’s currently on the market though, there may be something coming that better suits your lifestyle, budget or tastes.Here is a rundown of the five best mid-size SUVs that are still to come. They’re in alphabetical order and span both the mainstream and premium mid-size SUV segments.The current GWM Haval H7 has flown under the radar since it launched in 2025 and the Chinese carmaker is planning to hit reset with a new-generation model.GWM has confirmed it will launch the new Haval H7 in the second half of 2026 and it will feature hybrid and all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power.Front and rear differential locks are also confirmed for the flagship variants, which is a major upgrade to the off-road capabilities compared to the current front-wheel drive hybrid model.Overall there’s a tougher and boxier look that’s more in keeping with the Tank models.Mazda is finally launching a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X in Australia.The CX-6e is the brand’s first electric mid-size SUV and it quickly follows on the heels of the Mazda 6e electric liftback launching locally.Both vehicles have been co-developed with Changan and are built in China. The CX-6e in particular is built on the same platform as the Deepal S07, which is already offered in Australia.Locally the CX-6e will only be offered with a battery electric (BEV) powertrain, however in other markets a range-extender (REEV) hybrid is available.Mercedes-Benz is set to launch a new-generation version of the GLB SUV in Australia. Final details haven’t been locked in yet.Globally the new GLB is offered with both mild-hybrid and BEV powertrains, like the new GLA and CLA it shares componentry with.This new GLB is larger in every dimension and notably features a 60mm longer wheelbase. It’s available with both five- and seven-seat configurations.Another highlight is the ‘MBUX Superscreen’ which comprises a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, as well as dual 14.0-inch touchscreens for the central multimedia system and front passenger display.Skoda launched the regular Elroq electric SUV in 2025, but later in 2026 it’s readying the hotter RS version.Power comes from a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with total system outputs of 250kW and 545Nm. This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds.The electric motors are fed by an 84kWh lithium-ion battery pack which allows for up to 550km of claimed range, according to WLTP testing.The Elroq is essentially a shortened version of the Enyaq electric mid-size SUV. It is already offered in RS form locally with both the typical SUV and ‘coupe’ SUV body styles.Volvo fans have been waiting for an electric counterpart to the top-selling XC60 mid-size SUV for years now and later in 2026 it’ll arrive in Australia.The Volvo EX60 is based on a new platform called SPA3 and it has an 800V electrical architecture.In Australia two versions of the EX60 will be offered initially, the Ultra P6 RWD and Ultra P10 AWD. They’re priced from $86,990 and $101,990, before on-road costs, respectively.It’s understood that the range-topping P12 AWD trim, as well as a more affordable, entry-level grade will arrive in 2027.
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Good news for fans of diesel utes, 4WDs
By Jack Quick · 10 Aug 2026
GWM is rolling out its new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine imminently in Australia, but it’s already exploring electrification to further reduce emissions in the future.This electrified 3.0-litre diesel engine may take the form of either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), or both.It is expected to launch locally around 2028 to offset tightening emissions standards.“Fuel consumption has a direct relation to emissions, and we've been able to get low enough to pass the current emission standard without needing AdBlue,” said GWM ANZ Product Planning Manager Timothy Leong to CarsGuide.“In about 2028, that's when it's going to change. But even then, we haven't decided whether it's AdBlue or hybrid or what other technology we might be putting in.”It’s understood GWM is working on more diesel hybrids and PHEVs beyond the ones based on the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.This likely includes electrified versions of GWM’s existing 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines.It’s understood these electrified diesel engines will be used in body-on-frame vehicles in both the Hi4-T and Hi4-Z PHEV configurations. The former is more off-road focused and retains a mechanical four-wheel drive system, while the latter is more on-road focused motor and prioritises electric performance.The GWM Cannon Alpha, Tank 500 and Tank 300 are already offered with both Hi4-T and Hi-4Z petrol-electric set-ups globally. Only the Hi4-T versions are offered in Australia.It’s understood these future electrified diesel engines may be used in a transverse orientation in other two-wheel drive vehicles across GWM’s line-up.It appears the main reason why GWM is exploring electrified diesel engines is to further reduce CO2 and NOx emissions.The forthcoming GWM Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha with the regular 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine are claimed to consume 7.1L/100km and 7.3L/100km, respectively, according to ADR 81/02 testing.Claimed CO2 and NOx emissions figures for the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine haven’t been published yet.Another potential benefit GWM may be targeting with its electrified diesel engines is additional performance. Electric motors are known for producing peak torque from a standstill and this may improve initial acceleration and low-speed response.GWM won’t be the only carmaker to be offering electrified diesel engines if it does roll them out in 2028.Chery is launching the Stockman dual-cab ute in Australia before the end of 2026 with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel PHEV. It’s claimed to have total system outputs of 350kW and 800Nm and offer up to 100km of NEDC-claimed electric range.A petrol-electric PHEV version of the Stockman will follow and will rival the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha Hi4-T PHEV and Ford Ranger Hybrid.Audi, BMW, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz, among others, currently offer diesel mild-hybrid powertrains.Mercedes-Benz does offer diesel PHEV powertrains globally in a number of models, but none have ever been offered in Australia.
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