GWM Haval H6 PHEV could come Down Under

GWM says a third of Haval H6 and Jolion buyers are opting for hybrid power – and a range of plug-in hybrids currently off the cards for Australia may play a role in growing that figure even further.

Currently, GWM offers the Haval H6 and Jolion hybrids in Australia, and the Tank 300 hybrid will soon be with dealers.

Unlike its Chinese rivals at MG, however, the Haval and GWM Ute brands don’t offer any plug-in hybrids capable of driving for extended periods on battery power.

A GWM Australia spokesperson has confirmed the H6 PHEV is being looked at for introduction to Australia, along with “other models in the range that have that technology”.

The H6 PHEV pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to offer a combined 230kW of power and 530Nm, and an electric driving range well above 100km on the tougher WLTP test cycle.

Its biggest rivals in Australia would be the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which is good for 87km of EV driving on the WLTP test cycle, and the MG HS +EV with its 52km range.

Given the H6 Hybrid is priced at $45,990 drive-away, it’s likely a PHEV would be priced in the $50,000 range locally.

Beyond the Haval H6, GWM has a Tank 500 PHEV that mates a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 19.94kWh battery pack good for an electric range of 50km.

It’s the model we recently spied on Melbourne roads, wearing a distinctive two-tone paint job and prominent PHEV badging.

The system outputs are reportedly 309kW and 750Nm. It’s 300kg heavier than the regular petrol-powered 500 due to the weight of the PHEV components.

Although hybrid sales are strong and EV sales are surging, plug-in hybrids haven’t hit full speed on the Australian sales charts.

Of the 84,873 vehicles delivered in Australia during January 2023, fewer than 500 were plug-in hybrids. That compares to 5136 hybrid vehicles, and 4852 electric vehicles.

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