China’s JAC will soon become the fourth car brand to enter Australia’s fledgling plug-in hybrid (PHEV) segment, and now it has cited figures that confirm it will beat the best-selling BYD Shark 6 on paper.
The JAC HunterLaunching here mid-year, it will offer a combined fuel consumption of 1.6 l/100 km and a total combined driving range of 1005 km, with both figures based on the milder NEDC cycle.
That’s better than the best-selling Shark 6, which uses 2.0L/100km when the battery is between 25 and 100 percent charged, and has a total combined range of 800km.
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JAC previously confirmed that the Hunter will come with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, mated to twin electric motors and a 32 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.
This results in a total system power of 385 kW and 1000 Nm, with “at least” 100 km of electric range during an unspecified test cycle. The battery also features a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, allowing the Hunter to be used to power small electrical appliances.
The company says it will reveal more specifications soon, and deposits will also open soon.
“We are launching the right car at the right time, and at the right price,” Ahmed Mahmoud, managing director of JAC Motors Australia, said in a press release today, but could not confirm exactly what that price will be.
The Shark 6 costs from $57,900, excluding on-road costs, while the two-variant GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV range costs from $61,490 drive-away, and the four-member Ford Ranger PHEV family starts at $71,990 plus ORCs.
Chery will enter Australia’s double-cab PHEV battle in the fourth quarter of 2026 with an unnamed diesel-powered ute based on the KP31 concept, followed by a petrol PHEV powertrain in 2027.
“The Hunter PHEV will arrive in Australia mid-year, and we believe it will capture the attention of Australians looking for a plug-in hybrid without sacrificing the capability, practicality and ruggedness they need from a car.”
At an event in Sydney today, JAC showed off the Hunter in standard specification, as well as an example custom-made for brand ambassador and NRL star Josh Addo-Carr.
The Parramatta Eels player’s bespoke Hunter features a bespoke paint finish from Smith Concepts in Brookvale, along with Lenso tyres, a lift kit, hard tonneau cover, auxiliary lighting and other genuine JAC accessories.
It will be on display at the Melbourne Motor Show from April 10 to 12.
In February, JAC confirmed the Hunter had completed its testing regime at the Lang Lang Proving Ground (formerly the Holden Proving Ground) in Victoria, after Melbourne-based Segula Technologies Australia was tasked with proving the PHEV powertrain’s readiness for local conditions and customers.
This month it confirmed it has engaged Multimatic and its technical director for vehicle dynamics, former Holden chassis engineer Michael Barber, to develop a localized ride and handling package for the Hunter, also at Lang Lang.
It’s unclear how substantial the changes to the Hunter will be, as it’s just months away from a local launch.
The Hunter will join its diesel-powered T9 4×4 crew cab counterpart in Australian showrooms.
The T9 debuted under the JAC brand in Australia early last year. Up to the end of February, JAC has delivered 221 T9s this year, putting it just behind the KGM Musso (237) in the sales race, and further behind the MG U9 (416), LDV Terron 9 (271) and LDV T60 (604).
MORE: Discover the JAC Hunter showroom
