Plug-in hybrid

Nissan to unveil long-awaited next-gen Navara imminently!

Sales slide for once popular brands: Mainstream Japanese brands Nissan, Mazda and Suzuki dip in popularity as demand for Chinese brands like BYD, Chery & GWM skyrockets.

This year is not even over and yet one of 2026’s most-improved SUVs is already looming in sight for Australia. Due by the middle of next year, the GWM Haval Jolion will undergo a significant transformation to improve and update a number of shortfalls to bring it up to class standards against the best-selling Hyundai Kona, MG S5 and Chery Tiggo 4.

Electric cars have come a long way in a short time, and China’s EV market has shown us just how far they’ve come.China is the world’s largest electric vehicle market — and the source of the majority of Australia’s EVs — and the latest data shows a remarkable stat.According to the China Passenger Car Association, the average driving range of an electric car on sale in China is 528km.That’s an increase of about 25 per cent in half a decade, according to the data.Those driving ranges are calculated via the more lenient China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC), rather than the benchmark WLTP used in Europe and Australia.The data still shows that electric car driving range has improved by about a quarter in a short time.In Australia the default range for a new EV is generally around 500km, dispelling the range anxiety myth.New EVs from China and sold in Australia, such as the Zeekr 7X have a driving range from between 480km and 615km, and Tesla has just launched a new Chinese-built Model 3 RWD Long Range with up to 750km of range.Deepal’s new E07 ute-SUV mash-up has a driving range of up to 550km and Kia’s China-sourced EV5 can be driven up to 555km, depending on the variant.There are even more on the way if China is a guide, with the data showing more than 30 EVs on sale there with a driving range of more than 600km and 26 more with a range of more than 500km.500km is the new expectation for buyers in Australia and manufacturers have responded with a wave of new models at or exceeding the range, with Chinese brands or China-sourced vehicles leading the charge.The massive jump in electric driving range isn’t reserved to EVs. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs).EREVs use a petrol engine purely as a generator to charge the battery, with the wheels driven only by electric motors. PHEVs use a combination of a petrol engine and electric motors fed by a battery to drive the wheels.In China a PHEV with 100km of driving range is the new expectation with the majority boasting an EV-only driving limit of more than the century mark.EREVs are even more, with the vast majority claiming an electric-only driving range of more than 150km.This kind of performance hasn’t been fully realised in Australia where PHEVs and to a lesser extent EREVs are starting to gain traction.Several new options from Chinese brands, such as BYD, Chery and MG are pushing the boundaries of the new tech.Chery’s new Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid has a driving range of up to 170km in Australia.What is even more astounding is China is doing it at a lower cost than rival makers, which is helping to boost the technology Down Under.

GWM has confirmed a new variant for its Tank 500 large SUV that adds plug-in hybrid power into the mix.The 2026 GWM Tank 500 Hi4-T Plug-in Hybrid is the second model to join the brand’s Australian line-up with GWM’s Hi4-T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology after the Cannon Alpha PHEV ute.Just one grade of the Tank 500 PHEV is available from launch, the Ultra, with a temporary drive-away price offering of $77,990, a $2000 discount on its usual $79,990 drive-away price.It brings with it a claimed 120km of electric range, or total 950km of range with the engine in play on the NEDC cycle.14.6-inch multimedia touchscreenAndroid Auto and Apple CarPlayHead-up displayNappa leather interiorPanoramic sunroofHeated and ventilated electrically adjustable front seats with massage functionDual-zone climate controlVehicle to Load (V2L)USB-C ports12-speaker sound systemParking AssistAdaptive cruise controlSurround-view cameraExterior colours:Marble White (no cost)Onyx Silver ($595)Crystal Black ($595)Dune Gold ($595)Interior leather colours:BlackBlue and cream (only with Marble White and Crystal Black exterior)GWM has a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty that covers the Tank 500. The brand also has seven years of roadside assist and seven years capped-price servicing.

BYD’s aggressive growth strategy is set to ramp up considerably before the end of the year with confirmation of four new models to launch.The four new models are no huge surprise with CarsGuide reporting earlier this year the likely arrival of each of them.The biggest news in BYD’s confirmation is the Atto 1, which is better known as the Seagull in China and the Dolphin Surf in the UK.This fully electric light hatchback will be the cheapest EV in Australia, according to BYD Australia COO Stephen Collins.“When it comes to the Atto range, start believing the hype,” he said.“The Atto 1 will be Australia’s most affordable EV by some margin, opening the door for even more Australians to get behind the wheel of their own new energy vehicle.“As we’ve seen with those incredible sales numbers overseas, we expect really strong pre-order interest locally.”BYD already has bragging rights as offering the cheapest EV on sale in Australia with the entry grade Dolphin Essential from $29,990 before on-road costs. The GWM Ora is the second cheapest at $35,990 drive-away.That means the Atto 1 will likely come in at around $25,000 before on-roads.BYD is yet to confirm full specification, powertrain details or pricing, but expect that information to be revealed closer to each model’s respective launch.The version of the Atto 1 that's coming to Australia is expected to be more closely related to the European and UK-spec Dolphin Surf as it more closely aligns with Australian Design Rules (ADR) compared with the China-market Seagull.The Atto 1 will launch in November alongside the larger Atto 2 electric small SUV. The Atto 2 model will compete directly with the MG S5, Chery E5, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric, but it is expected to undercut the price of the Kia and Hyundai.Further up the model range, BYD will add to its family SUV stable that already includes the Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and the Sealion 7 EV, with the Sealion 5 and 8 PHEVs.The Sealion 5 is a five-seat mid-size SUV and at 4735mm long, 1860mm wide and 1710mm tall, it’s longer, has a longer wheelbase, but is shorter and lower than a Mitsubishi Outlander.In China, the Sealion 5 is powered by BYD’s 'DM-i' (dual mode - intelligent) plug-in hybrid set-up which combines a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 120kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. It uses an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) driving the front wheels. Depending on the battery size it offers up to 115km of electric driving range.The Sealion 8 is larger than the 5 and it comes standard with seven seats, making it BYD’s first three-row model in Australia. This is also a plug-in hybrid model and it will sit above the Sealion 6 and 7 in the expanding line-up.It will likely compete with other seven-seaters like the Chery Tiggo 8, Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-80 PHEVs.Timing for the Sealion 5 and 8 is not locked in but if it's not before the end of 2025 it will be early 2026.The BYD new model bonanza follows last week’s official confirmation that BYD’s premium Denza brand will launch before the end of the year. Denza - a Lexus and Genesis rival - will launch with the B5 and B8 premium plug-in hybrid off-roaders. In China these models fall under the Fanchengbao brand.Denza will eventually source models for Australia like the D9 people mover, N9 upper-large SUV and Z9 GT four-door coupe from the Denza stable, but it will also cherry pick from Fanchengbao and BYD’s upper premium brand, Yangwang. The latter includes the wild U8 off-roader and the potent U9 electric supercar, known for its ‘jump’ function.

We have just gotten our first proper look at the powertrain that will likely propel the Kia Tasman out of the diesel era, with heavy reporting that the brand is plotting a 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid powertrain for its dual-cab ute in 2026.

Toyota’s iconic LandCruiser 300 Series off-roader is already offered with petrol-electric hybrid technology in certain markets and it’s soon coming to Australia, but more electric oomph is reportedly on the way.As reported by Japanese publication Creative Trend, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain is on the cards for the LC300 which would bring more electric range.It’s reported the system will likely use the existing 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 engine as a base with an electric motor, like the existing LandCruiser Hybrid, but with a larger high-voltage battery pack.'At this stage total system outputs haven’t been confirmed, however the LandCruiser Hybrid produces 340kW and 790Nm in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Having a larger battery pack in the LandCruiser PHEV could reportedly lead to issues with vehicle weight, interior space and fuel tank capacity.As a result the LandCruiser PHEV could reportedly only be offered in five-seat configuration.Although the LandCruiser Hybrid will only be offered with five seats in Australia, in other markets there are seven-seat versions.Creative Trend also speculates the LandCruiser PHEV’s fuel tank could be reduced to around 50L. For context, the LandCruiser Hybrid has either a 68L or 98L fuel tank in the UAE, depending on the trim level.Plus, the diesel-powered LC300 diesel and the related petrol-powered Lexus LX600 in Australia both have 110L fuel tanks.Despite the bigger battery pack, it’s reported that overall driving range for the LandCruiser PHEV could only be around 500-600km. A diesel-powered LandCruiser 300 Series has a theoretical range of well over 1000km in Australia.This latest report comes after Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide that PHEV technology isn’t being ruled out for the LandCruiser.“I think plug-in hybrid is going to be a tremendously big seller over the next five years, and with battery technology evolving, it offers, I think, a big, broad scope of capability,” said Hanley.“A key to it though with this car is you can’t compromise on the towing. That’s the issue.“So if you do bring in a plug-in hybrid, it’s got to be able to tow.“It’s got to be capable and practical, otherwise wasting time.“But having said that, not every LandCruiser goes out towing vans.“ you may have a LandCruiser technology or powertrain that really is for those city people.“They might do a bit of light off-road occasionally. Then you’ll have the other LandCruiser, which could be this one , or some other variant, for performance and towing, and it’d be this kind of setup in the future.”It’s unclear whether this statement opens up the possibility of an electric LandCruiser or smaller, more city-oriented model in the future.Toyota has previously shown off concepts for both but neither have been revealed in production form.The Tokyo motor show will kick off at the end of October and you can expect Toyota to reveal some significant new metal, so keep an eye on CarsGuide for any updates.

GAC finally closes in on its Australian debut - with two models now appearing in the road vehicle descriptor database.

The 2026 Ford Ranger PHEV adds an EV-adjacent variant to the popular Ranger line-up. Ford's hybrid workhorse is one of the latest vehicles to arrive here as part of an ongoing plug-in ute invasion of Australia.  The Ranger PHEV shares an impressive list of standard features and off-road capability with its stablemate but this hybrid also doubles as a power source for your work-site or campsite.