Electrified utes get serious in Australia! China’s GWM launches Cannon Alpha with top towing and torque numbers
Australia finally gets a petrol-electric hybrid 4×4 dual-cab ute mid-year when the GWM Cannon Alpha launches.
The Chinese plugless series/parallel hybrid will boast more torque than the Ford Ranger Raptor super-ute and – crucially – a full 3500kg braked towing capacity.
We don’t know pricing yet, but given GWM’s past history – including its recent drastic drive-away repricing of the Ora electric hatch – its’ going to be challenging for the established dual cab ute leaders such as the Ranger and Toyota HiLux.
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The Alpha isn’t the first electrified ute to arrive in Australia but its certainly shapes as the most useful and meaningful to reach the hugely popular segment so far.
LDV has had the 4×2 battery electric eT60 on-sale since 2022 but it is super-expensive and low on range.
At the other end of the scale, Toyota is currently rolling out 48v mild hybrid in some facelifted HiLux models.
More seriously, BYD is expected to introduce the first plug-in electric ute to Australia before the end of 2024 while the PHEV Ranger arrives in 2025.
Other electrified utes, such as a PHEV Mitsubishi Triton are confirmed to be under development.
All these electrified utes reflect a change away from traditional diesel powertrains that will be accelerated by the introduction of the federal government’s mandatory NVES CO2 reduction scheme.
Nevertheless, GWM will also offer a turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha that is expected to be priced cheaper than the hybrid.
While the 2.4-litre diesel engine offers 135kW and 480Nm, the hybrid turbocharged 2.0-litre’ and e-motor’s combined outputs are 255kW and 648Nm.
The Raptor puts out 292kW/583Nm from its V6 turbo-petrol engine.
No fuel economy numbers have been released for the Alpha, but the recently launched GWM Tank 500 claims 8.5L/100km using the same powertrain. Our first drive didn’t get anywhere near that number.
Both engines mate with a nine-speed automatic transmission, a new all-terrain system with three drive modes, a BorgWarner transfer case and locking front and rear diffs
GWM is touting more interior space for the Cannon Alpha compared to the Cannon ute that’s been on-sale here for a couple of years because of its larger size.
The Alpha measures up at 5445mm long (+35mm), width is 1991mm (+57mm) and height is 1924mm (+38mm). Wheelbase of 3350mm is also longer than the Cannon Ute by 120mm.
Other features highlighted by GWM in announcing the Alpha’s local arrival include an innovative 60/40 split rear tailgate, which can be opened in two ways: A short press on the button on the rear tailgate provides access to the rear tub via the 60/40 opening while a longer press on the same button opens the full tailgate.
Interior highlights include a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 10-speaker Infinity audio, wireless phone charging plus heated, ventilated and massaging front seats in Nappa leather (grade dependent).
