2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV ute detailed, soon to go BYD Shark 6 hunting in Australia

The GWM Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute has made its in-person debut at this year’s Beijing motor show, ahead of its Australian arrival later this year.

The BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV rival is expected towards the end of the third quarter (July to September) of 2026, giving GWM a second entry into the segment.

The Cannon Hi4-T will slot in under the existing Cannon Alpha PHEV, launched here last year, which is slightly larger than the Shark and Ranger.

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Unlike the Cannon Alpha PHEV, the smaller plug-in ute doesn’t have its spare tyre mounted standing up in the tub. Instead, GWM has managed to squeeze it under the vehicle despite the large battery. Total ground clearance is 220mm.

GWM is offering the 'Hi4-T' plug-in hybrid powertrain in both ‘passenger’ and ‘commercial’ versions of the Cannon in China. The latter is a longer-wheelbase (3470mm vs 3230mm) pickup body style which Australia doesn’t receive.

Even the passenger version features a live axle at the rear, like most utes in Australia (though unlike the BYD Shark 6 which features an independent setup), plus a part-time four-wheel drive system with a mechanical linkage and a locking rear differential – like the diesel-powered Cannon.

GWM says the Cannon Hi4-T borrows its PHEV powertrain from the Tank range of off-road SUVs, but it's been tuned for a ute application.

First revealed in Chinese government filings in February, the PHEV ute features a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 180kW and 380Nm of torque, with a 130kW/495Nm front electric motor and total system outputs of 310kW and 750Nm.

That’s 10kW more than the Cannon Alpha PHEV, and gives the Hi4-T a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds.

It uses a nine-speed hybrid automatic transmission and a 33.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, instead of the 37.1kWh pack in the Cannon Alpha PHEV.

NEDC electric range is 118km, slightly higher than the 115km claim of the Cannon Alpha PHEV. Combined range is 1017km, slightly lower than the 1060km claim of its larger sibling.

GWM says a 30-80 per cent battery charge on a DC fast charger takes 18 minutes.

The new PHEV also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a discharge capacity of 6kW, allowing you to power small appliances or power tools.

Braked towing capacity per GWM's Chinese website is 3000kg, down on the Cannon Alpha PHEV and flagship Shark 6 Performance (3500kg) but ahead of other members of the Shark 6 range (2500kg) – the Australian division has, however, confirmed a 3.5t braked tow rating.

Inside, the cabin doesn’t have as many luxe details as the Cannon Alpha PHEV, but it’s a step up over the existing Australian-market Cannon.

There’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch touchscreen running GWM’s latest Coffee 3 infotainment operating system, featuring an anchored shortcut bar at the base of the screen.

GWM has yet to confirm whether we’ll get these new screens in the Australian-market Cannon Hi4-T. The current diesel range uses a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen.

The new PHEV also has a camp mode, and a sentinel mode said to provide “comprehensive intelligent safety monitoring and alarm reminders”.

With the launch of the Cannon HI4-T, GWM will be in the unique position of offering two different plug-in hybrid dual-cab utes.

The new, smaller model due this year will likely be priced quite sharply too, given the larger Cannon Alpha Hi4-T PHEV is currently being offered from $54,490 drive-away. The cheapest Shark 6 ute (not cab/chassis) is $57,900 before on-road costs, with the Ranger PHEV more expensive still.

PHEVs posted the largest percentage growth in 2025 of any fuel type in the Australian new car marketplace, up 130.9 per cent year on year to 53,484 units, or around 50 per cent of EV sales (103,270, up 13.1 per cent).

A large chunk of this growth was driven by new makes and models from China, including the BYD Shark 6 (18,073 units) and Sealion 6 (9055 units, up 46.1 per cent).

Other strong performers included GWM's own Haval H6 (2542) and Cannon Alpha (1371) PHEVs, which are among the four PHEVs it currently offers in Australia. The others are the Tank 300, which is also offered with petrol, diesel or hybrid power, and the Tank 500 which is offered as a hybrid.

GWM registered 52,809 new vehicles across all its sub-brands in 2025, posting growth of 23.4 per cent over the previous year in a flat market and placing it seventh among the top 10 best-selling brands. It was also Australia's third best-selling PHEV brand.

The sixth best-selling brand overall in Australia was Mitsubishi (61,198 units, down 17.9 per cent), meaning GWM could leapfrog towards the top five should it manage over 60,000 sales this year.

The company has said to break said top five, it would need to crack the 75,000-80,000-unit mark, which is a 50 per cent increase in current volumes.

MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon showroom