Chery has detailed its next-generation “Super Hybrid” plug-in hybrid hardware at a tech event in Sydney, previewing two new Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT) powertrains aimed at future SUV models.
The first is dubbed ‘DHT160’, which Chery says is intended for SUVs weighing between 1.5 and 2.0 tonnes, with electric motor outputs of 160kW and 275Nm. Above that sits ‘DHT230’, aimed at larger vehicles, over 2000kg, with outputs of up to 260kW and 330Nm.
Chery is pitching the next-gen system as the step forward in hardware efficiency and packaging from its current systems, as seen in Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 Super Hybrids. The company says the petrol engine’s thermal efficiency has been lifted to 44.5 per cent, the transmission has been reworked for higher efficiency, and a new ‘Rhino’ 18.46kWh LFP battery is more energy dense than the current pack. Chery also points to a new “16-in-one” motor design intended to reduce weight and volume, plus upgraded cooling for sustained load conditions.
The interesting part is what DHT160’s weight brief implies for Australia. Chery previously played down the prospect of a Tiggo 4 plug-in hybrid at last year’s Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid launch. But a PHEV Tiggo 4 would add battery mass and hardware on top of the existing small SUV package, and DHT160’s 1.5–2.0-tonne target now looks like a potential fit.
That would consolidate Tiggo 4 Pro‘s already strong market position. Driving Enthusiast’s January VFACTS report lists 2234 sales for the Tiggo 4 (+119.4 per cent), and a PHEV variant could give Chery another feather in its cap as small-SUV competition tightens.
The prospect of a small, or light SUV PHEV is not entirely new. Later this year, BYD will release a PHEV version of the Atto 2, which is slightly shorter than the Tiggo 4, and the Jeep Renegade 4xe is on sale in Europe, so there is a precedent.
Chery hasn’t locked in Australian timing, but the company is targeting a China launch during 2026, with global roll-out from late 2026 into early 2027. Chery also suggests the system could be introduced via life-cycle updates rather than being limited to all-new platforms, which keeps the door open for existing models.
Expect to see it rolled out across Tiggo 7, 8 and Tiggo 9 in the near future – even if it doesn’t eventuate for the baby Chery.
