GWM's new Cannon Hi4-T plug in hybrid ute costs from $50,990 drive away, tows 3,500kg and claims 115km of electric range. Here's how it stacks up against the Ranger PHEV, BYD Shark 6 and diesel HiLux and Ranger.
By Varun Punyamurtula ·
For years the plug in hybrid ute has been a nice idea with an awkward price tag. You paid well over $60,000 for the privilege, got a small battery, and often gave up towing or payload along the way.
The GWM Cannon Hi4-T arrives with a very different pitch. It costs from $50,990 drive away, tows 3,500kg, carries a 33.1kWh battery and claims up to 115km of electric driving. On paper, that is more battery than a Ford Ranger PHEV for thousands less.
So is this the ute that finally makes plug in power make sense for ordinary Australian buyers? Here is what the numbers say, where the catches are, and how it stacks up against the Ranger PHEV, BYD Shark 6 and the diesel HiLux and Ranger most people still buy.
Quick answer: The Cannon Hi4-T is the best value plug in hybrid ute on sale right now, with the biggest battery and longest claimed electric range in its price bracket. If you can charge at home and mostly drive short distances, it could slash your fuel bill. The big catch is safety: it is not covered by the Cannon's five star ANCAP rating yet. Fleets and families who need a rated ute should wait or look at the Ranger PHEV or Shark 6.
Yes. GWM Australia lists the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV as now available, with an introductory offer running until 31 October 2026. It made its Australian public debut at Everything Electric in Sydney in September, and first customer deliveries are due through dealers from this month.
There are two grades, Lux and Ultra. GWM's official drive away pricing for private buyers (Victorian pricing shown on its website) is:
That bonus brings the Lux to $48,990 drive away for private buyers. Business buyers with an ABN have been offered slightly sharper figures again, so ask the dealer for ABN pricing if it applies to you.
The Hi4-T pairs a 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine with a 130kW electric motor. GWM's official figures:
That 310kW figure is more than any diesel dual cab in the mainstream market. The more important number for running costs is the battery. At 33.1kWh, it is nearly three times the size of the Ranger PHEV's 11.8kWh pack.
A word of caution on range. NEDC figures are optimistic, and real world electric range will be lower, especially at highway speeds, with a load in the tray or in cold weather. Even so, a realistic 70 to 90km would cover most daily commutes in electric mode, which is the whole point of buying one.
This is where earlier plug in utes often fell short. The Hi4-T does not, at least on towing:
The 3,500kg towing figure matches the Ranger and HiLux. Payload is the trade off. The Ranger range, for comparison, spans 753kg to 1,412kg depending on the variant, and many diesel dual cabs carry close to a tonne. At 835kg, the Hi4-T is fine for a tradie with tools and a passenger, but it leaves less room once you add a canopy, roof rack, bull bar and a family.
Remember also that towing a heavy caravan will drain the battery quickly. Once it is flat, you are towing with a 2.0 litre petrol engine, and fuel use will climb well above the headline figure. If you tow long distances every weekend, a diesel is still the simpler tool.
The Cannon Hi4-T now has two direct plug in rivals that matter. Here is how the official numbers line up.
Put simply, the Cannon Hi4-T undercuts both while offering the biggest battery of the three. The Ranger PHEV has the strongest brand, the best dealer reach and a tested safety rating, but its small battery means far less electric driving. The Shark 6 Premium is the closest rival on battery size, but it tows only 2,500kg unless you step up to the Performance.
Our pick for value: Cannon Hi4-T. Our pick for peace of mind: Ranger PHEV.
Most Australians still buy diesel, and for good reason. The HiLux and Ranger remain two of the best selling vehicles in the country. FCAI VFACTS data for August 2026 shows the HiLux in second place with 4,833 sales and the Ranger fourth with 2,440, although Ranger sales were down about half on the same month last year.
A diesel still wins if you tow heavy and far, work in remote areas where charging is scarce, or need the highest payload. Diesel resale is also proven. The Hi4-T makes the most sense for buyers who do most of their driving in and around town and can plug in at home every night.
Fuel is where a big battery pays off. Here is a rough comparison for a typical 40km daily commute. These are our estimates, so your numbers will vary with electricity and fuel prices.
Over a year of commuting, that difference can run to several hundred dollars, and more if you have solar. But it only works if you charge consistently. A plug in hybrid that never sees a powerpoint is just a heavier petrol ute.
Tax is worth checking too. Since 1 April 2025, plug in hybrids are no longer eligible for the electric car fringe benefits tax exemption, according to the ATO. Dual cab utes used mainly for work may still qualify for the separate work vehicle exemption, so talk to your accountant before signing a novated lease.
The Hi4-T's biggest weakness right now is its safety rating. The diesel Cannon holds a five star ANCAP rating, but GWM's own website notes that this rating excludes the PHEV variants. Until ANCAP tests the Hi4-T, it is effectively unrated.
That matters for fleets, mine sites and many businesses, which often require a five star ANCAP vehicle. It also matters if you will carry children.
On the plus side, GWM backs the Cannon with a seven year, unlimited kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance. Ultra adds a 360 degree camera.
Other things to weigh before you sign:
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For the right buyer, it comes closer than anything before it. The Hi4-T brings a big battery, strong outputs and full 3,500kg towing to a price point that used to buy a mid spec diesel. That is a genuinely new proposition in the Australian ute market.
It is not the right ute for everyone. If you tow heavy every weekend, work remote or need a five star rating today, a diesel Ranger or HiLux, or a Ranger PHEV, is the safer choice.
Winner for value: GWM Cannon Hi4-T Lux, especially with the launch bonus before 31 October 2026.
The Lux is $50,990 drive away and the Ultra $54,990 drive away for private buyers, before a $2,000 launch bonus that runs until 31 October 2026.
GWM claims up to 115km on the NEDC cycle. Expect less in real world driving, especially on the highway or when towing.
Yes. Both Lux and Ultra are rated to tow 3,500kg braked. Payload is 835kg.
Not yet. The Cannon's five star ANCAP rating excludes the plug in hybrid variants, so the Hi4-T is currently unrated.
Yes, by a wide margin. The Hi4-T starts from $50,990 drive away, while the Ranger Hybrid starts from about $59,000 drive away.
Prices are manufacturer drive away or list prices as published on official Australian websites and checked on 3 October 2026. Drive away prices vary by state and may change. Sales figures are from FCAI VFACTS. Images: GWM Australia, Ford Australia and BYD Australia (manufacturer media); 2026 Toyota HiLux Z by TTTNIS via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
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