JAC T9 UTE News

JAC has slashed the pricing of its T9 turbodiesel dual-cab ute in Australia with the introduction of a limited-time drive-away pricing offer for run-out model year 2024 (MY24) stock.

JAC has revealed the production right-hand drive version of its upcoming Hunter plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute which will sit atop the T9 range when it arrives in Australia early next year.Unveiled at the 2025 Greater Bay auto show (a motor show for the Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau area), the specific T9 Hunter PHEV shown was dubbed the “Australian Edition”, suggesting it will mirror the specification that will arrive on our shores.It features various changes over the diesel model which recently launched, including aero-style 18-inch alloy wheels, a slightly redesigned front bumper with JAC logo in blue and a sports bar over the tray.Inside, it scores a new steering wheel design and does away with the lever-style shifter in the centre console, replacing it with a rotary dial.The biggest changes are to the mechanicals. It scores a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine (160kW/360Nm) with dual electric motors on each axle, producing 130kW/300Nm on the front, and 150kW/340Nm on the rear, for a claimed total combined output of 380kW/1000Nm.It is equipped with a four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission linking the two power sources, and unlike the BYD Shark, it has a solid link to the rear axle rather than just an e-motor range-extender style set-up.To support this system, the Hunter is equipped with a 31.2kWh lithium battery, with an estimated 100km of driving range. According to the NEDC cycle, the Chinese-spec vehicle consumes 2.0L/100km in combined conditions, or 8.0L/100km when the battery is at its reserve power level.For the Chinese market, its payload capacity is rated at 715kg, although towing capacity is yet to be revealed. On the Chinese spec-sheet, it can sprint from 0-100km/h in six seconds. It will also feature a vehicle-to-load (V2L) discharge function good for powering tools, campsites, or even home appliances in a black-out.Expect local numbers for driving range, power outputs, towing and payload to be subject to Australian Design Rules and confirmed closer to its local launch.The Hunter PHEV was already previewed in Australia at the Melbourne motor show in April, where it was shown with a significantly tougher styling package, consisting of chunky all-terrain wheels, larger aftermarket-look alloys, as well as a black styling package for the sports bar, wheels, and grille.At this stage it is unclear whether JAC will launch the Hunter with the more tame look of the “Australian Edition” ute seen overseas, or the tougher look of the vehicle seen at Melbourne.Either way, the T9 will have its work cut out for it in order to challenge an array of new hybrid ute offerings. BYD’s Shark 6 has already made an impact with thousands of units on the road already, and GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV is now also available, offering mechanical links to the wheels for what the brand says is deeper capability for off-road scenarios.Ford will also soon launch its much-anticipated plug-in hybrid ranger in multiple trim levels, while further down the track Mitsubishi and Nissan have both made no secret of their intent to offer plug-in hybrids in the future.Pricing may be JAC’s way to carve out a space for itself, with BYD setting a hard-to-beat bar of just $57,900 before on-roads for its well-equipped Shark 6. As it stands, JAC’s T9 diesel range tops out at $45,630 before on-roads.JAC has yet another trick up its sleeve though, with the T9 platform also supporting a fully electric option. The full EV would complete the trifecta, potentially making the T9 the only dual-cab to offer diesel, hybrid, and fully electric drivetrain options in Australia.

Chinese newcomer brand JAC has spilled on the real cost of obtaining a five-star ANCAP safety rating in Australia, confiding that the brand had to invest millions of dollars to score top marks under 2024's testing protocols.

Chinese newcomer brand JAC has shed some light on just what makes Australia so appealing to China's army of new-car brands, suggesting a combination of conditions, customers and tough competition makes the country irresistible.

Chinese brand JAC says its incoming T9 Hunter plug-in hybrid ute has the wood on the popular BYD Shark 6, with a key executive telling CarsGuide "we've got the right package".

JAC’s Ranger Raptor-style plug-in hybrid dual cab it calls the Hunter will launch in Australia in Q1 next year, with the potent plug-in unveiled for the first at the Melbourne Motor Show.

New Chinese ute upstart JAC is looking to make its mark in Australia, confirming it will unveil an upcoming electric version of its T9 ute in April.Set to debut at the Melbourne Motor Show, the JAC T9 electric ute will best its LDV eT60 forebear by offering 4x4 from the get-go, rather than the LDV’s single rear-wheel drive drivetrain option.The dual-motor T9 EV has a 70kW/176Nm front motor and 150kW/340Nm rear motor, putting out a claimed combined 220kW/516Nm although the total of each motor added together is not usually the 'combined' output for an EV.It is equipped with an 88kWh lithium iron phosphate (or LFP) battery pack from CATL granting it a claimed 330km driving range according to the WLTP standards.Not only will it offer 4x4 from launch, but the T9 EV also has a payload rating of 900kg and a tub which can fit a full-size Australian pallet. It also has an external full-size household power outlet, offering vehicle-to-load (V2L) for such purposes as powering electric tools or camping equipment.The brand says a fast DC charge should take the battery from 15 to 80 per cent charge in 40 minutes. Further specifications, like towing capacity, are yet to be revealed.Additionally, the JAC says to expect the EV to be equipped with a similar array of equipment as its top-spec T9 Haven, including 18-inch alloys, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.4-inch central multimedia touchscreen, leather interior trim, heated front seats, a surround-view camera, as well as a fully fledged active safety suite.Price will be key. The T9 EV costs from around the equivalent of A$70,000 in its Chinese home market while the equivalent diesel version costs from $38,819.Locally, the T9 starts from $45,670 drive-away.JAC currently offers its T9 with a seven-year warranty, and it was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2024, although there is no guarantee that this will simply transfer across to the EV.The T9 EV will form part of an Australian ute market shake-up as hybrid options from GWM and BYD threaten to rattle the Ranger, HiLux, and D-Max hegemony. In addition, the T9 EV will be joined by LDV’s eTerron 9 electric ute at some point over the course of the year.Not only do traditionally popular Thai-built utes have to face increasing competition from Chinese players, but they are also staring down a need to modernise their usual diesel drivetrains in the face of Australia’s tough new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES) which impose a European-style emissions target regime on them.Each year toward 2030, the average amount of C02 permitted for the company’s entire fleet reduces to near-zero by the end of the decade.As a result, Ford will attempt to reduce its C02 footprint by launching a plug-in hybrid Ranger, while Isuzu has announced it will enter the fray with a fully electric version of its popular D-Max.

Australia’s four-wheel drive ute market is set for a major shake up in the next 12 months.

The JAC T9 will debut in Australia with a five-star ANCAP safety rating, according to 2024 testing protocols.

JAC confirmed its re-entry into the Australian market with the T9 ute in March 2024.