Another new ute will be hitting Australia soon, as JAC completes local testing of its Hunter plug-in hybrid (PHEV) 4×4 dual-cab. It goes on sale mid-2026.
The ute segment is certainly heating up, with not only more and more options, but more electrified packages are being presented. First was the BYD Shark and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, and then the Ford Ranger PHEV. Chery is set to offer a PHEV ute in the near future as well.
Likely sitting at the lower end of the price spectrum, the JAC Hunter PHEV will have undergone 50,000km in local testing by the time it’s done, which is not something that can be said of many rivals. Ahmed Mahmoud, managing director of JAC Motors Australia, said:
“This local development program is our most exhaustive and ambitious to date. It will push JAC Hunter – and engineers from China and Australia – to the absolute limit. By the time JAC Hunter goes on sale, it will not just represent outstanding value, provide exceptional practicality, and come with JAC’s industry-leading warranty program. It will be match-fit and ready for Australia.”
Well, customers will be the judge of that when it hits the market. However, it is good to see testing in Australia. JAC has opted for Holden’s former proving ground, Lang Lang, for a lot of the testing and tuning, in cooperation with Segula Technologies Australia. JAC Australia technical director, Hongjian Jiang, said:
“Lang Lang has been globally recognised as an automotive centre of excellence for many decades. The extensive real-world testing we can replicate on its many arduous bitumen, dirt and offroad circuits all contributes to optimising JAC’s first plug-in hybrid ute for Australian conditions – and for Australian ute buyers.”
No further specifications or finer details on the Hunter have been revealed at this stage, other than it will come with a 31.2kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery with 3.3kW vehicle-to-load capability. An electric range of 100km has been mentioned in previous reports.
It’s set to come with an impressive PHEV setup, consisting of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, producing a combined output of around 385kW and 1000Nm. If that is accurate, it’ll be the most powerful ute in its category.
Reports have also suggested a 1000kg payload and 3500kg towing capacity, along with a 10.4-inch touch-screen inside and 10.25-inch instrument cluster. More details and prices will be confirmed closer to its launch in mid-2026.
