Australia’s plug-in hybrid ute race has just gained a new price leader. GWM has confirmed the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV with a limited-time drive-away price of A$48,990 for private buyers, pushing electrified dual-cab ownership below the A$50,000 mark without requiring an ABN. First dealership arrivals are expected from mid-October 2026, with Lux and Ultra grades joining GWM’s existing Cannon Alpha PHEV.
The headline price is only part of the story. The Cannon Hi4-T combines a 310kW plug-in hybrid system, 115km of claimed electric-only range, mechanical four-wheel drive, 3.5-tonne braked towing and vehicle-to-load power. That mix puts pressure on rivals such as the JAC Hunter, BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV while giving buyers another route between diesel workhorses and fully electric pickups.
The A$48,990 Price Is a Limited-Time Launch Deal
GWM’s most attention-grabbing move is the launch deal itself. The Cannon Hi4-T Lux normally costs A$50,990 drive-away for private buyers, but a A$2,000 bonus cuts that figure to A$48,990 until October 31, 2026. Eligible ABN holders pay even less at A$47,990 drive-away during the same period. Buyers who prefer the standard price can instead choose a A$2,000 fuel card, although the two incentives cannot be combined.
The Ultra follows the same structure. Its regular private-buyer price is A$54,990 drive-away, reduced to A$52,990 with the launch bonus, while ABN buyers pay A$51,990 during the promotion. That distinction matters because ute advertising in Australia often highlights business pricing. Here, a household buyer can still get below A$50,000 drive-away. Pre-orders are already open, with the first vehicles expected in dealerships from mid-October, giving the promotion a relatively short window for early adopters. That timing also places the first customer vehicles in showrooms before the promotional deadline.
GWM Is Pairing Electric Assistance With Serious Power
Under the bonnet, the Cannon Hi4-T uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor and GWM’s Hi4-T plug-in hybrid system. The petrol engine is rated at 180kW and 380Nm, while the electric motor contributes 130kW and 495Nm. GWM quotes combined system outputs of 310kW and 750Nm, delivered through a nine-speed hybrid automatic transmission.
Those numbers give the Cannon a very different character from a traditional entry-level work ute. The system output is higher than the 300kW quoted for GWM’s larger Cannon Alpha PHEV, even though the new model sits lower in the range. GWM has also kept a mechanical four-wheel-drive layout with low range and an electronically locking rear differential. For a buyer who spends weekdays in suburban traffic but still expects to tow, cross a muddy paddock or reach a remote campsite, that combination is central to the vehicle’s pitch. It is a deliberate bridge between electrified commuting and conventional four-wheel-drive use.
A 33.1kWh Battery Delivers Up to 115km of Claimed EV Range
A 33.1kWh battery gives the Cannon Hi4-T a claimed electric-only range of up to 115km on the NEDC test cycle. GWM also quotes a total petrol-electric driving range of up to 1,037km when the 75-litre fuel tank and battery are full. Official combined fuel consumption is listed at 2.4L/100km, though plug-in hybrid fuel figures depend heavily on how often the battery is charged and how the vehicle is used.
Charging hardware is unusually strong for a PHEV ute. The Cannon supports DC fast charging at up to 110kW, with GWM claiming a 30-to-80 per cent recharge in 18 minutes under suitable conditions. That makes short charging stops more practical on longer trips, while routine home charging could allow many local journeys to be completed largely on electricity. The 115km figure uses the relatively generous NEDC protocol, so real-world electric range should be expected to vary with speed, load, weather and terrain.
Towing and Payload Remain Central to the Package
Electrification has not removed the numbers many ute owners watch most closely. The Cannon Hi4-T is rated to tow 3,500kg with a braked trailer and 750kg unbraked, while maximum tow-ball mass is listed at 350kg. Payload is 835kg, gross vehicle mass is 3,420kg and gross combined mass is 6,400kg. Kerb weight is 2,585kg for both Lux and Ultra grades.
Off-road hardware remains conventional by modern PHEV standards. The Cannon has low-range gearing, an electronic rear differential lock and selectable modes including Snow, Mud, Sand, 4H and 4L, plus a towing mode. Ground clearance is listed at 232mm and wading depth at 500mm. These figures matter because batteries and hybrid components add substantial mass, yet buyers still expect a dual-cab to carry tools, tow equipment and leave sealed roads. GWM’s approach is to electrify the drivetrain while preserving the familiar mechanical toolkit associated with body-on-frame four-wheel-drive utes. A full-size spare wheel is also standard, another practical detail for regional travel.
Even the Lux Gets a Large Technology Package
The cabin is designed to make the entry Lux feel less like a stripped-out work model. Standard equipment includes a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen running GWM’s Coffee OS, a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and a six-speaker audio system. Outside, the Lux receives 18-inch black alloy wheels, LED lighting, a full-size steel spare and black exterior detailing.
The Ultra adds the comfort features more commonly associated with lifestyle-focused utes: power-adjustable front seats, heating and ventilation for the front row, a heated steering wheel, an electronic sunroof, ambient lighting, front parking sensors and a 360-degree camera. That creates a clear step between the two grades without changing the underlying drivetrain. A buyer using the ute for commuting and weekend travel may see the Ultra as the comfort choice, while the Lux keeps the same headline performance, towing capacity and electric range at the sharper price point.
Safety Equipment Is Extensive, but the PHEV Is Currently Unrated
Safety equipment is broad on paper. Both Cannon Hi4-T grades include seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assistance, rear cross-traffic alert with braking and driver-fatigue monitoring. The Lux gets a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, while the Ultra adds front sensors and a surround-view camera, useful equipment on a vehicle measuring more than 5.4 metres long.
There is an important qualification, however. The plug-in hybrid Cannon Hi4-T has not yet received an ANCAP safety rating, even though other versions of the Cannon have previously been assessed. That means buyers should distinguish between a long standard-equipment list and an independent crash-test result for this exact powertrain. The absence of a current rating does not establish that the vehicle is unsafe; it simply means there is no applicable ANCAP score yet for the PHEV version. For families considering a dual-purpose work and household vehicle, that distinction is worth keeping visible.
GWM Has Undercut a Fast-Growing Group of PHEV Utes
The price battle is already crowded. JAC launched its Hunter PHEV at A$49,988 before on-road costs, briefly giving it the title of Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid ute. BYD’s Shark 6 Dynamic cab-chassis starts at A$55,900 before on-road costs, while the pickup-bodied Premium is A$57,900 before charges. Ford’s Ranger PHEV XL sits higher again at A$61,000 before on-road costs.
GWM’s A$48,990 private-buyer launch price is therefore notable because it is drive-away, not merely a list price before registration and taxes. Price alone does not make the vehicles directly interchangeable: the JAC Hunter claims 360kW and 1,010Nm, the BYD uses a different electrified all-wheel-drive configuration, and the Ranger was Australia’s highest-selling ute nameplate through the first eight months of 2026. Still, GWM has made the showroom comparison more difficult for every rival. Plug-in capability is moving into territory previously occupied by well-equipped diesel dual-cabs.
GWM Now Has Two Distinct Plug-In Hybrid Utes
The Cannon Hi4-T also gives GWM something no other brand currently offers in Australia: two separate plug-in hybrid ute lines. The new model sits below the larger Cannon Alpha Hi4-T, whose PHEV pricing starts at A$57,490 drive-away for the Lux and reaches A$64,490 for the Ultra. The regular Cannon therefore becomes the lower-cost entry point, while the Alpha remains the larger, more premium choice.
That strategy arrives as electrified vehicles take a larger share of Australian new-car sales. In August 2026, plug-in hybrids recorded 10,591 deliveries, representing roughly one in ten new vehicles, while GWM sold 4,870 vehicles across its range. The BYD Shark 6 alone recorded 1,385 deliveries that month, showing that electrified utes are no longer a theoretical niche. GWM is betting that a lower drive-away price, useful electric range and familiar towing hardware can move more buyers toward PHEVs without asking them to abandon the practical traits that made dual-cabs popular in the first place.
